


Burnished Bronze and Crimson Cruel

by D0ubleFelix



Category: Mother 1 | EarthBound Zero | EarthBound Beginnings, Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound, Mother 3
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bigotry & Prejudice, Character Death, Family Drama, Fantasy, Forbidden Love, Loss, Love, M/M, Other, Protests, Revolution, Royalty, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:44:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 91,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14864270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D0ubleFelix/pseuds/D0ubleFelix
Summary: Lucas is the Prince of the kingdom of Dragonstep, and is a handsome young gentleman with nothing but class, respect, and poise. But after meeting an eccentric lamplighter named Ness, Lucas is faced with the reality that sometimes, the things you love the most in life may soon become your downfall. When burnished bronze meets crimson cruel, how long until the flame burns out?





	1. Saved by The Match

Nothing concluded a day perfectly for Lucas better than looking down at the city streets below him, and watching the streetlamps below ignite one by one. The sky would begin to darken, and he would excitedly run to the cobblestone window and marvel at the massive view before him. The buildings looked liked they were made for ants, and the few people who still wandered the streets looked like ants themselves, but the light from the lamps was bright enough to see from the height he was at. From the days where he'd have to stand on the tips of his toes to catch a glimpse, to his later years where he could easily see over the ledge, he never missed this calming part of his busy day, to see the warm glow of small fires sweep over the town and light up the roads. If he was lucky, there was the day where he would have company. This company was supplied by Claus, his twin brother and closest friend. Lucas savoured the days where his twin would stand beside him and watch from their bedroom window, as he knew it was a limited experience.

The pair of twins were what you could call 'born with a silver spoon'. Sons to the King and late Queen of the Kingdom of Dragonstep, their aristocratic lives were filled with constant work, hustle, and bustle. Lucas, having the privilege of being introduced into the world a solid five minutes before his brother, earned the title of the Prince of Dragonstep, and the future King. This proved well in his older years, seeing that the boy had grown into nothing short of the perfect heir. He was a pretty little gentleman with class, organization, and poise. There was no doubt that with Lucas' undying devotion to the kingdom and his get-it-done demeanor that he was the perfect fit to the throne. And with his gentle eyes and looked after blond hair, he would have no trouble in finding his eventual spouse.

One would think Claus would be envious of his brother, but he was relieved he didn't have to take on such a role. Claus, while just as respectable as his brother, was much more quick-thinking, bolder, and frankly, stronger. This came to his advantage, as he was given two titles. One, was the Prince in Waiting to his twin. The other, the official Captain of the Royal Guard. The streets of Dragonstep were certainly kept safe with his dedication and strategic thinking. However, it was this important responsibility of Claus that often separated the two brothers. Lucas was often kept at home, in the castle, while Claus would always be off on some emergency call. This is why Lucas enjoyed his night's joined by Claus, because it was often the most time the two got to spend with each other.

One would think that the twins would be as close as could be, being rid of arguments and disputes. This, of course, was preposterous, as the royal brothers fought just as much as any pair of siblings would. Aside from the daily 'I didn't borrow your clothing item, you must've lost it' fight, there was an ongoing tension between the two, mainly coming from Claus. The tension sparked from a particular habit that Lucas had; a habit Claus wasn't all to fond of. Lucas, although being eighteen years old and already quite put together, was still a teenager, and still had much to learn. And the young boy hadn't quite learned the importance of self control just yet.

Despite Lucas' dedication to rule his beloved kingdom with grace and fairness, he found the life he led was...well, really boring. His skin was awfully pale due to him being closed up inside day after day, barely getting any sunlight. He was forbidden to leave the castle grounds, seeing as plenty of danger awaited beyond the gates. Eighteen years of nothing. In fact, his time watching the streetlamps at night was the only connection he got to the outside world. That was, until he discovered a small bit of space between two walls that conveniently led into the horse's stables, which were placed outside of the castle borders. Once he'd gotten enough courage at the beginning of his teenage years, he'd grab a set of simple, casual clothing and set out to the village streets. This was of course, during the early hours of the morning, when everyone had fallen asleep, and he could wander about as he pleased. Five years later, and no one had ever found out.

That was, of course, except for Claus, who strongly disagreed with his twin's constant sneaking out.

"Someone is  _definitely_  going to find you," A fourteen-year-old Claus had said to his brother as he watched him squeeze into the wall opening, "I  _cannot_  wait to see your face when they do."

"Stop being such a goody toe-shoes all the time! No one's going to find me." Lucas replied, as he quietly slipped into the musty farm building.

As Claus listened to the pitter-patter of his bare footsteps fade away, he sighed, shook his head, and returned to his quarters. This routine continued to happen many times, as years went by and the twins grew older. Even at their young adult age, Claus continued to try and talk some sense into his brother, who refused to listen. Something about the world outside of the castle tempted Lucas. The feeling of just running through the crowdless streets without a care in the world was his favourite feeling. Not having to walk with his back positioned perfectly, or standing with his hands poised in a dainty, upright position that made his arms ache. That was the freedom Lucas craved.

But on a warmer night in the height of spring, all Lucas wanted was just to lean against his window frame and look over his beautiful country.

He groggily stepped into his room, shrugging off his cream coloured waistcoat and tossing it to the side, and undoing the buttons on his blue vest underneath. The tight article put loads of pressure on his chest and torso, for it was designed to keep his posture straight. He winced against the slight ache and massaged his side with a gloved hand. He trudged over to his window, undid the latch, and pulled back the wooden barriers, exposing the wide outdoors before him. The glow of the sunset instantly lit up the room, and although the breeze was chilly that evening, the sight itself warmed Lucas right up. A small smile crossed his face as he breathed in the scent of pine needles and smoke from the buildings below. This was perfect. It was just what he needed after listening to a nonstop lesson of trades for seven hours. Upon looking down, the streets were still dark.

Lucas was so entranced by the orange lit kingdom, he didn't notice the wooden door open behind him.

"Your Highness."

" _Goodness...!_ " Lucas jumped and pivoted around, putting a hand to his heart in relief, "Lord above, Claus! You scared me half to death."

"Yes, well, I figured perhaps I'd help thicken your skin." Claus smirked, as he kicked off his boots and took off his overcoat.

"I thought you were on patrol tonight?" Lucas reminded, turning back to the window.

"It turns out a few of the newer recruits were caught poking around where they shouldn't have been in the weapon storage," Claus said, as he walked to his usual spot beside Lucas, "And as punishment, I put them on patrol instead of me. I let myself go home tonight."

"Good, because it's a perfect night out tonight. Not too warm, not too cold," Lucas trailed on as Claus positioned himself beside him, groaning in satisfaction upon feeling the late night air touch his skin, "You  _feel_  that? That's what pure peace feels like."

"It's nights like this that make me wish I was a child again," Claus murmured as he undid his dress shirt and threw it behind him, not caring where it landed. He let his eyes drift closed, feeling the slight wind brush against his now exposed arms and upper chest, "Back when I didn't have to be out every other  _minute._ "

"Mhmm..." Lucas hummed in reply. He glanced to his side, catching sight of Claus' scar covered body. Although his back and torso were covered by his undershirt, Lucas knew that he had plenty more healing wounds underneath it. He shuddered, being unable to imagine facing danger almost every day. It was things like this that made Lucas truly respect his brother. He sighed, "Things were easier when we were kids, weren't they? Heh...remember how we'd stack up books under the window so we could see?"

"Mum was always too tired to lift us." Said Claus, "It was you who came up with the idea. Remember how you said the lights down below always looked like fireflies?"

"No, that was  _you_  who thought that.  _I_  said they looked like  _stars_ ," Lucas said, "That's when mum said that if you couldn't find the stars in the sky, you could always use streetlamps to wish on."

"And thank goodness for that. Those things are so bright, you can never truly see the stars."

Lucas suddenly gasped, touching Claus' arm, "Look, there they go! The first one just lit up!"

The sky was nearly black, and true to Lucas' word, a small flicker of light ignited below the two, just in the heart of the village. It lit up a small patch of street with it's light. A few seconds later, the one to the right of it lit up, casting another sheet of golden light over the road. The brothers went silent as they watched with the same interest they always had. One by one, each lamp was lit in a machine-like routine, which a heartbeat-like rhythm. As the city was slowly lit up by the flames, the sky grew darker. Eventually, the sun disappeared, and the only light came from the moon and the now finished lamps. Lucas looked down at the glittering lights for what seemed like hours, before speaking again.

"What'd you wish for?" He asked.

"Um, excuse me?" Claus replied with a small laugh.

"Look above, there's no star bright enough to wish on. I had to use a lamp," Lucas said, "I wished that when I'm out and about on the streets tomorrow when father's off on his trip, I might meet a friend or two."

"You're  _still_  sneaking out tomorrow? You know that Father's leaving you in charge while he's gone, right?" Claus reminded.

"Of course I am! This is the only chance I might get to look around that place in the daytime," Lucas paused, noticing Claus' irritated expression. He frowned, "It's not like I'm abandoning everything! I'll finish up everything that needs to be finished, pretend I'm ill, then I'll sneak off for one or two hours! Piece of cake."

"You're a mess. A complete disaster, that's what you are. People will be calling you 'Prince Catastrophe' soon enough." Claus muttered, shaking his head.

"That's _King_  Catastrophe, to you. And I  _am_  going out tomorrow! I want to see what that village looks like in  _action._ "

"It's the same as any other village, Lucas. Nothing special."

"That's easy for you to say, you get to go there every day."

"For heaven's sake..." Claus murmured, shaking his head and putting a hand to his temple, "...You know what? I did wish something. I wished that you would eventually get your mind out of the gutter and realize that your place is here, not out there. Does that work?"

"Oh, lord have mercy." Lucas rolled his eyes. He stretched his arms above his head, not realizing how tired he was, "I'm going to sleep, and you probably should too. Get as much rest as you can, alright?" He said as he walked to his bed and picked up Claus' overcoat, handing it to him.

"Will do," Claus said, "In the meantime, think things over. You never know what's out there, Lucas. And if you decide to go out there tomorrow, at  _least_  try and find a girlfriend. Can you do that much?"

"Goodnight, Claus." Lucas said, ignoring him.

"Father won't stay in the throne forever, you'll have to find a spouse eventually..." Claus continued to ramble as Lucas pushed him out of his bedroom.

"I'd like to go five minutes without being reminded that I have to marry some girl someday. Bye, goodnight." Lucas promptly closed his door once Claus was out of the threshold. He made sure to close the latch afterward. There were a few moments of silence.

"I love you," Claus called from the other side of the door.

"I love you too, now go to sleep!" Lucas replied. He shook his head playfully and smiled. He listened to Claus walk away, making sure he was gone, then walked back to his bed and sitting down on it to disrobe himself. He proceeded to go through everything he was going to accomplish tomorrow, and prepared himself for how exciting it was going to be. Even as he lay, looking up at the ceiling, his mind continued to race.

' _I don't care what Claus says,_ he's _not even the Prince,_ ' Lucas thought, ' _Tomorrow will be interesting, that's for sure.'_

* * *

Getting out of the castle the next day wasn't easy in the slightest. It was late in the day, and the sun had only just begun to set.

It took lots of fake coughing, lots of acting, and lots of welling up fake, dramatic tears. Once completing any outstanding work that day, Lucas managed to convince his supervisor that he was deathly ill, and insisted that no one see him for the rest of that day. Once he was closed up inside his room, he began his unfortunately tedious plan. He locked his door to make sure no one got in, before approaching a floorboard at the corner of the room that stuck up a bit more than the others. With a small tug, he dislodged it, and peeked inside a small opening in the floor. It was empty, to his frustration.

" _Claus."_  He muttered under his breath. The secret opening was his storage place for a particular set of clothing; a dirtied dress shirt, a ripped vest, and a pair of tie up pants with obvious tears. A disguise he'd used plenty of times before so that he could blend into the typical village folk. However, he guessed that in a last stitch effort to stop him, Claus had taken the set of clothing. Disgruntled, he put the floorboard back into place. His irritation did not last for long, however, " _Does he think I'm really that dumb?_ "

Deciding to go with Plan B, he walked to his bed and felt underneath the pillow, grabbing hold of fabric. Victorious, he pulled out a long, draping cloak, with a large hood he could use to conceal his face. Putting a mental point on his own side of the imaginary scoreboard between him and Claus, he dawned the coat and tightly wrapped it around himself to hide his attire.

This led to the next part of his plan; getting out. Knowing he couldn't go through the door, as he couldn't lock it from the outside, he turned to the window, knowing that the room below him was a storage closet. With no hesitation, he proceeded to climb through the opening, clinging tightly onto the stone walls, before making his way down the side of the turret. After a few near slips and deep breaths, he swung himself feet first into the window below him, landing safely in the dusty closet. He brushed off his clothing and silently congratulated himself. He walked to the door and pressed himself up against it, listening for any voice or footsteps. To his relief, the hallway seemed empty. As quietly as he could, he slowly opened the door and peeked outside. Again, no one there.

" _And_ Claus _is the one who's leading the Royal Guard._ " He mentally scoffed, proud of his clever scheme.

He slipped out of the closet and jogged down the long hallway, his heart beating rapidly the entire time. After another ten minutes of peeking, running, hiding, and repeating, he finally found himself at the familiar divot in the wall. Looking around to make sure no one saw him, he took a deep breath and began to squirm his way through the tight space. Now being a teenager and a fairly well built person, it was much harder to do this now than it was when he was a younger child. After a few seconds of struggling to fit through the gap, he finally stumbled into the warm glow of the horse' stables. His sudden appearance spooked one of the rested horses, who began to thrash slightly, letting out a frightened squeal. Lucas was quick to draw back his hood and rushed to the animal's side. He clicked his teeth a few times to catch it's attention, and made sure to put himself in his view.

"Whoa!  _Whooooa_ , it's okay! Tch-tch..." He urged. It didn't take long for the mammal to realize who was in the room with it. It smoothly calmed down and returned to it's normal state, to Lucas' relief. He looked around, and saw that no one had heard or seen the struggle. Lucas flipped the hood back over his face and rushed out of the stalls as quickly as he could.

Running into the surrounding forest filled him with a sense of pride. He'd done it, and now it was time to observe this world in the daytime. Looking behind him, he spotted the castle looming over him like a mountain, as if judging him for leaving. He only smirked and continued on his way, sprinting down the same pathway he'd taken for years. The dirt at this point was packed and tough from his countless footsteps here. As the forest got thicker, the distant sounds of a crowd got louder. Lucas felt his heart start to pound. The only time he'd ever been around this many people was during royal events and such, but now he'd be experiencing actual village life. After climbing down a few steep rocks, he came across the end of the pathway, blocked off by various trees and bushes. Streams of sunlight drifted in through, and Lucas could see the shadows of multiple people passing by. He held his breath, before slowly pushing aside the branches and climbing out of his hiding place.

Instantly, he was met with a crowd. Before him was the same street he'd always came across on his journeys, but instead of only a few people here and there, it seemed as if the entire kingdom was on this one street. He knew that this wouldn't last long, as the streets were usually empty by the time the skies were orange. Lucas let himself wander in the bustle, taking in everything there was to see. He got several suspicious looks, being a mysteriously cloaked person all by themselves, but he chose to ignore it, simply too excited to care. He simply went wherever the mass of the crowd took him, and this led him to a line of vendors, which was even more crowded than before. Lucas searched for any possible empty space he could take, before spotting one, and quickly rushing over to it before he possibly got trampled. To his relief, the space led him to a branch off into another less crowded street.

"...There..." He whispered to himself, "That was easy."

He spent the next hour wandering, as he usually did. He knew the streets like the back of his hand, but the presence of endless people and transportation everywhere was making it hard to navigate. None the less, Lucas still enjoyed himself more than he ever had before. By the time the sky above had darkened into a sunset, the streets had nearly emptied. Relieved by the free space, Lucas let himself go wherever he pleased. At this point, he had all night to himself. He hadn't yet heard the beginnings of a search being warranted by the Royal Guard, so he knew that for now, he was safe from being discovered. For now, Lucas could simply savor being among his beloved subjects, in his beloved kingdom. With the population being his future responsibility, he thought of the civilians in a way a parent would think of their child.

Lucas went through most of the evening with a warm feeling in his body as he looked around at the brick buildings and breathed in the scent of an oncoming blanket of rain. However, as the sun descended, the city grew darker. His chest tight with unease, he glanced around at the village around him. The windows of houses were beginning to go dark. He looked at the ascending metal poles that held the streetlights. All of them were dark.

" _I must be on the east side of the city..._ " He realized, remembering that the eastern part of the village was always the last to be lit up at night. He pulled his hood farther over his face and hastily pinpointed where he was, using memorization. Once figuring out exactly where he was, he took off near the hopefully safer part of the town. Up above, he could see the nearby glow of lights. He sighed in relief and began to jog, trying not too look too suspicious. He heeded Claus' warning of laying low in public, as not everyone was particularly fond of his family, and he didn't want to end up with a gun to his head.

Lucas finally found himself amoung a decently lit street. Panting quietly, he slowed down to a walk. Up above, a slight drizzle of rain had begun to sprinkle down. A few puddles had already began to accumulate on the ground, giving the mossy cobblestone streets a glistening shine. He tilted his head up and allowed his hood to fall back, and let the raindrops to hit his face. He smiled, as raindrops cooled his skin and trailed down the sides. He'd always liked the rain.

As he walked, he heard nothing except for the pitter patter of rain and the echoes of his footsteps. Above him, each lantern held a flame, sending a pool of light on the road below. Lucas admired each light as he passed. Seeing them up close was just as good as seeing them up at his bedroom window. Lucas' attention was suddenly diverted to the ground as a group of people passed by; higher class teenagers, by the looks of it. Lucas ignored them as they passed by, talking excitedly with each other. He was a bit embarrassed at how frightened he was of being around people his own age.

The diversion had kept Lucas' eyes glued to the ground. Because of this, he didn't realize that the trail of lamps he'd been following had stopped ahead of him. Lucas kept his stare on the road until the noise from the other group faded far into the distance. He brushed a hand through his damp hair and continued on his way, still looking at the ground. He decided that he'd find a place to sit down for a while, possibly somewhere with a roof or covering, so that he didn't catch a cold. With that, Lucas promptly continued.

That was, until a light object hit the top of his head, being tumbling to the ground with barely any noise. Lucas paused, and looked up. He nearly gasped, noticing the dark streets he was about to enter, until he heard a very clear whisper of some kind up above. Lucas jumped, startled by the presence of another person. He looked down, and saw a put out match in one of the rain puddles, a thin line of smoke drifting up. He furrowed his brow in confusion, before a louder noise frightened him even more. This time, another object fell beside him with a clatter. A matchbox. Lucas squinted to inspect it, but wasn't given much time to process, as the same voice from before jolted him to attention.

" _Bloody_  hell, I don't wanna buy more of these things..."

Lucas hastily threw his hood back over his face and looked up. He could see the vague outline of a person, clung to the light pole. The person had apparently seen him too, because they froze.

"Oh!" The stranger sounded male, and the messy, unsophisticated accent told Lucas that he was of lower class, "Sorry 'bout that, I must've given you a fright. Listen, do me a favour, will you? There's a li'le box down there, can you get it for me and just toss it up?"

"A-ah, um..." Lucas quickly bent down to pick up the box, "...This?"

"That's the one. Just throw it here."

"Right, then..."

Lucas, trying to aim well, reared back his hand and tossed the matchbox up above him. When it didn't hit the ground again, he assumed that this strange person had caught it.

"Perfect, thank you..." Said the person.

Lucas watched and listened as the stranger drew a match. They struck it against the box's surface, sending sparks flying off, before the managed to set the match ablaze. The light from the fire lit up their face, allowing Lucas to get a better look. He was right, it was a male, and with his tangled hair and dirt smudged face, he was very obviously street ridden. He looked to be around Lucas' age, maybe a year or so older. The boy unlatched the window pane to the glass lantern, and lit the wick inside of it, before shaking off the match to put it out. Lucas squinted as the lantern reflected the fire's light onto the street below. With a grunt, the other boy scaled his way down the side of the lamppost, before letting himself fall. He safely landed on his feet. He brushed himself off a little, before looking up and catching sight of Lucas, who stared back in wonder. The boy gave him a confused and nervous wave.

"...Can I help you?" He asked. Lucas blinked, breaking out of his trance.

"Goodness, I'm sorry, I blanked out for a moment...!" Lucas rubbed the back of his neck, "Forgive me, but...you're the one who lights the streetlamps?" He asked, as he followed the stranger to the next post. His new acquaintance wasted no time in fastening his hands around the post, before hoisting himself up and repeating the same process as before.

"That'd be me, official lamplighter of the east of Dragonstep." The boy proudly replied, "Not that I don't like you being here, I truly do, but why are you still there...mister or miss, I can't quite tell?"

"I-I'm a man."

"Ah, thank you."

"I'm sorry for staring, it's just...fascinating. I never quite thought that someone actually  _lights_  these things. I always thought they did it by themselves, or something." Lucas admitted bashfully. The stranger landed near him again, giving Lucas a perplexed look.

"Fascinating? You're the first to say  _that._ " He said, "I'm flattered. Tell me, what do they call you?"

"Lu-" Lucas stopped, thinking quickly, "...cian. Lucian. That's me."

"Dear god, you  _sound_  like a ' _Lucian_ '. Those gloves are satin, yes? And that accent of yours. Very obviously raised in a proper household, I'd assume."

"Oh, um..." Lucas stammered, put off guard by this boy's matter-of-fact way of speaking, "Yes, you could say that. What do they call  _you?_ "

"Take a guess." Replied the boy, moving on to the next light. Lucas followed.

"A guess? Right, then, let's see..." Lucas observed his appearance, before blurting out the first name that entered his head, "...Jack."

"That's it, that's my name."

"Wait, really?"

"No, not even close. It's Ness."

Lucas thought for a moment, confused by the odd stranger, "Ah."

Above him, Ness snickered, "You're fun, Lucian. What're the odds I'd meet you, of all people? Fate, perhaps? I'd say. H'absolutely."

"Oh, yes. Destiny has been working it's magic." Lucas replied playfully.

"Glad to see you agree. Listen, a bit off topic, but," Ness took a moment to light a match, "You sound familiar. Have we met?"

"...No. No, of course not." Lucas quickly replied.

"Are you sure? Maybe you could show me your face, then I could figure out where I know you from."

"Nonono, I'd really rather not. I promise, you don't know me."

"Ooohhh, I see. Shy one, aren't we? Very well, have it your way. I can have all the glory to myself. The streets are lucky that this is the 'andsome face they get to see." Ness said, "If, by that, they mean 'barely put together street rat.'"

"Don't say  _that_ , you look fine." Lucas assured, observing Ness' surprisingly nice looking clothing, "The streets  _are_  lucky."

"Really!" Ness looked down at him, eyes lit up, "You think so? That's just about the nicest thing I've heard all day."

Lucas only shrugged, "I wasn't lying."

"A charmer." Ness smirked, before returning to his routine, "Tell me, what on Earth are you doing in the middle of the rain, talking to an urchin like me? Surely they miss you at home."

"Not much; they believe me to be bedridden with illness at the moment." Lucas admitted, "See, I'm not allowed out and about much."

"I see. Cooped up child wants to see what he's missing, I get it." Ness said, "Y'know, this old place really does get old. 19 years I've lived here, and another 70 I'll spend."

"Oh, I don't think it gets old at all. You see, I've been sneaking out ever since I was a child. Each time I come out here, it gets more and more exciting." Lucas said, "It's really the only time I ever get to enjoy myself outside of the cas-"

He stopped himself quickly before he finished that word, but to his irritation, Ness had already figured out what he was saying. He looked back at Lucas, dumbfounded.

"Bless my  _soul_ , you're from the castle?" Ness asked, his voice suddenly high pitched and airy. Lucas noticed the sudden glint in his eyes.

"I, um...!" Lucas stuttered, desperate to find an excuse, "...Well, yes, but you can't tell anyone I was here! If my family finds out-"

"Where do you work?" Asked Ness.

"...Huh?" Lucas took a moment, "...Oh! Oh, where do I  _work?_  Um..." He thought quickly, "...Delivery."

"Of what?"

"...Straw."

"You deliver the straw?"

"That's correct."

"That can't be right, I know someone who delivers the straw. He hasn't been fired, has he?"

"Ah! No! No, uh...what I meant to say, was...I was  _promoted_  from straw delivery. To...head delivery coordinator."

Ness blinked, "...That's odd, I could've sworn another friend of mine does that..."

"That's because I was promoted again!" Lucas quickly replied.

"Well Christ, what on Earth were you promoted to that's above _coordinator?_ "

Lucas thought about every profession he could, and who worked there, before he finally came up with a job he knew didn't even exist. He proudly rolled his shoulders back.

"I am the personal assistant of his royal highness." He declared.

A switch seemed to flip, as Ness let out a gasp and covered his mouth, eyes wide and glimmering. Lucas nervously stayed silent, hoping he'd bought it. Ness slowly removed his hands from his face, revealing a smile he was obviously trying to hide before.

"You work, face to face, with the  _prince?_  You're not joken-in' with me?" Ness breathed.

"Um...yes. Every day, every week, I'm constantly around him." Lucas stated, "Do you know him?"

"Well, no, not personally. I've never met him. But, I do  _know_  him. Practica'lity everything there is to know, in fact. I suppose you could call me a walking ency-plo-pedia on him. You know how everyone has someone they want to be like when they're older? Well, he's mine." Ness explained admiringly.

"Hm...interesting..." Lucas murmured, "Would you mind showing me just how much you know him? I'll tell you if you're right."

"Go ahead and shoot."

"Favourite animal?" Lucas asked.

"Easy. Owls." Ness replied.

"Huh. Impressive." Lucas said, "Why?"

"Because he likes the sound they make."

"Okay, that one was easy. What're his hobbies?"

"From what I know, painting, swordsmanship, and gardening."

Lucas paused, staring in disbelief, "Wow, um...Okay, how about this? What was his official speech given at his coronation?"

"' _I'd like to begin by expressing my greatest gratitude towards those who have grown with me. This crown upon my head is accepted with honor and determination, signifying my eventual ruling of the throne and this kingdom. Let's start with the points of importance in my growth as a leader...'_ "

"Jesus!" Lucas cried, "How on Earth do you  _know_  this?"

"Lots and lots and lots of research. And admiration. Not that I'm a stalker of any kind, no no no. I simply spend a bit too much time jotting down and research things I've noticed about him. He really is wonderful, isn't he? He just...cares about his kingdom so much. How dedicated he is to being a successful leader, and his desire to lead Dragonstep into a bright future. He's kind, he's considerate...not to mention,  _very_  pleasing to the eye."

Lucas froze, stunned for a moment, before a slight grin cross his flushed face. He straightened his back with a sense of pride in himself.

"You think so?" He asked, enjoying the indirect praise.

"O-oh, sorry, it must be odd hearing that from a mister, such as myself..." Ness said sheepishly.

"No, no, I'm quite enjoying it.  _Do_  go on." Lucas said, with a wave of his hand.

"I could go on for hours, I tell you. But...to be quite honest, I'm sure you probably know much more about him. How about you tell me something? What's he like, face to face? What're his plans for the future of the kingdom? Is Commander Claus actually his twin brother, or is that a hoax? What're his views on the topic of the paranormal? How close was he to the Queen before she passed? Do you think he  _really_  wants to be King, or is he just doing it because he was born into it? Does he believe in love at first sight? Is he really as great as we're led to believe?"

"Wow, um...perhaps we could rewind a bit, and I'll just start from the beginning of everything you just asked."

And so, they did. Ness went along his routine. Climbing up a post, striking a match, lighting the wick, climbing back down, and walking to the next one. All the while, Lucas followed, continuing to build onto his new persona, 'Lucian'. He found that Lucian was much easier to speak through. His social skills for casual conversations weren't the best, but he found it surprisingly relieving to talk to this new acquaintance. The urchin was a bit strange, but Lucas couldn't help but be charmed by his high energy and high regard for the future leader of the kingdom. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed talking endlessly about himself. As the two became more and more comfortable with each other, Lucas became tempted to expose who he really was. However, he decided it'd be wiser to heed Claus' warning of not letting anyone know of his identity.

With most of the talk focused around himself, Lucas began to crave information about Ness. The lamplighter was so open and sociable, but seemed to be quite secretive when talking about his own life. Lucas debated on the possibility of Ness being self conscious about his home life. Whenever the conversation reared towards Ness, he always made sure to detour away from it. Thus, Lucas decided to keep his mouth shut about the topic. Despite knowing practically nothing about him, however, he was fascinated by Ness. His constant positive demeanor was spirit lifting, and his uneducated habit of either misusing or mispronouncing words was admittedly endearing.

Lucas had lost complete track of time when he suddenly came to a stop. Ness had dropped down from another streetlight, and stuffed the matchbox in his pocket. He paused whatever sentence he was saying, and the two looked ahead. The route had been completed, and every lantern was now lit. The rain had stopped, leaving behind a fresh, earthy scent in the air. A thin blanket of mist ascended from the flagstone road as the thin layer of water slowly evaporated. Ness awkwardly shifted his weight on his feet, wiped a smudge of dirt off his cheek, and turned to Lucas.

"Well, I'm done." He mumbled.

"So it seems," Lucas replied, "I suppose that's my cue to leave...?"

"N-not entirely! It's not too late, and...well, I've enjoyed speaking with you... It's only a Tuesday night, after all..." Ness shrugged. Lucas furrowed his brow.

"It's Wednesday."

A flash of alarm passed Ness' face. He glanced down at the ground and seemed to mutter to himself for a moment, counting down on his fingers. As he thought for a moment, his narrowed eyes suddenly widened, and he stumbled back a step. Gripping onto the fabric of his pants, Ness anxiously began to wander around the area, standing on his toes to peer into various alleyways and branching off streets. Lucas, concerned and confused, walked towards him.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, knowing how stupid of a question it was. Of course something was wrong.

"A-ah! Well, um...Y-you see, I am not someone who makes a lot of money, obviously." Ness explained as he absent minded paced back and forth, "And as someone who makes very little money, I sometimes have to take desperate measures...and by desperate measures, I mean...well, thievery."

"You  _stole?_ " Lucas asked, surprised.

"...Yes, but only once! And only from one person, and  _he does not like me."_ Ness replied, emphasizing his last remark word by word. He finally approached Lucas and grabbed his shoulders, "Listen here, you need to take off. See, the person I stole from, we made a deal that I'd pay back every penny, which is a lot. Each Wednesday, that's when I'd make my payment. Even though I payed it all off months ago, he likes to use his high class to force me to keep paying. And thanks to me being a complete dimwitted idiot, I messed up the days, and didn't take my payment with me tonight. So you need to leave before it gets dangerous, got it?"

"What? No! I'm not going to leave you here to get attacked! Listen, I can fix this, okay? Just let me-"

"Please,  _please_  don't get involved! I don't want you getting hurt because of my mistake, alright? Pretend you never met me, and-" Ness went silent, and stared beyond Lucas' shoulder. His expression turned from panicked to uneasy calmness, and his grip on Lucas' shoulder's instantly loosened. Lucas' heart began to pound.

" _Ness?_ " He whispered.

However, Ness brushed him to the side, gently guiding Lucas behind him, as he put on a face of confidence, " _Duster_ , old friend! Right on time, as usual! Look at you, _always_  punctual. A very commend-endable thing to be, I'd say."

Lucas turned around, and saw that beyond Ness, there stood the dimly lit figure of another person. Well dressed and clean cut, he was obviously much higher class than Ness, and considerably older, perhaps in his early twenties. Lucas tipped his head to the side in confusion. This older man didn't seem all that dangerous, but Ness was shaking like a leaf, hiding his fear as best he could. The stranger, 'Duster', smirked a bit, and ran a hand over his slicked back brown hair.

"Still need to work on that vocabulary, Ness. The word you're searching for is ' _commendable_ '. And I can't say that I disagree with you." Duster murmured. His voice was flat and gravelly. Each word sounded as if he'd coated it in sugar.

"Of course, thank you! Look at me, what a mess." Ness hastily agreed. With the hand he had behind his back, he was making rapid hand motions, gesturing for Lucas to get out of there. However, Lucas didn't budge. Duster's hazel eyes shifted to Lucas, who burrowed into his hood even more. Duster's interest peaked, as he began to walk forward. As he did so, Ness walk back, pushing Lucas back as well.

"Who's your friend?" Duster asked calmly.

"Oh, this kid? I barely know him, we just bumped into each other no more than a few seconds ago. He was  _just leaving_ , weren't you?" Ness asked over his shoulder, sending a pleading stare towards Lucas. Lucas' hands balled into fists, and he clenched his jaw, pushing past Ness.

"No, I wasn't! I'm not going anywhere," Lucas announced, walking right up to Duster and staring up at him, "I've heard all about your little charade, and I have to say that I'm not impressed by it! How _dare_  you use your class to justify going after someone who can barely pay for themselves?"

" _Lucian, now would be a fantastic time to stop talking...!_ " Ness hissed through his teeth from behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder and pulling to guide him back. Lucas shrugged his hand off. His authoritative Prince instinct had kicked in.

"He payed off his debt, alright? I'm sure he feels very bad for stealing from you, but if he's gone out of his way to pay you back, then I see no reason for you to go after him like this!" Lucas said promptly, not moving from his spot. As Ness silently panicked in the background, Duster looked back down at Lucas, his face unreadable. He raised an eyebrow, either out of amusement, irritation, or both.

"Funny that this tiny little thing can be braver than you, Ness." Duster said, reaching forward and forcefully grabbing hold of Lucas' jaw, enough to make him wince.

"He's crazy, Duster. He's got a bit of a problem up in here," Ness explained, pointing to his head, "Tends to speak out of turn. A real tra-degy, 'innit?"

"There you go again, with the made up words. ' _Tra-ge-dy_ '. Duster enunciated. He never once took his eyes off of Lucas, who didn't want to risk reaching up and exposing his clothing. Lucas, although frightened at this point, stood his ground. He remembered the self defense techniques that Claus had taught him, and kept them in mind. Duster spoke up again, "I don't care much for young ladies who speak their minds too much."

"Excuse me, I am a  _male!_ " Lucas breathed, finally finding the courage to swat Duster's hand away from his face. Duster reacted quickly by swiftly grabbing his wrist, sending a shiver up Lucas' spine, and telling him that perhaps he'd gone too far.

" _Jesus and his mother Mary..._ " Whimpered Ness, who kept a safe distance back, but was prepared to interject when he needed to.

"I could've sworn I've heard that voice before," Said Duster, ignoring what had just happened completely. Under his voice, Lucas could hear a tone of aggression and a growing threat, "Mind if I have a look-see underneath that cloak of yours? Just for a moment."

"I'd rather you didn't, really," Lucas protested, taking a step back, "What makes you think you need to do that?"

"So I can see which part I need to  _break first._ " Duster's voice faded into a growl with his last remark, and he forcefully pulled Lucas back towards him. Lucas quickly used his free hand to strike Duster's arm, loosening the grip on his wrist and allowing him to break free. However, he wasn't fast enough, and Duster easily grabbed him by the arms. They struggled for a moment, as Lucas desperately fought against Duster's attempts to pull the coat off of him.

Thankfully, Ness had reacted in time. He impulsively threw himself into the middle of the struggle and managed to push Lucas away to safety, while he engaged into a small fist fight with Duster. While Duster was much taller and well built, Ness was faster. Lucas took a moment to catch his breath and regain his composure, and saw that Ness was putting up a surprisingly good fight. He dodged nearly every blow thrown at him quickly, but didn't quite match Duster's strength. Ness tucked his head forwards and pushed against Duster's chest, attempting to knock him backwards, but Duster wasn't moving an inch. Duster easily twisted him around to face away from him, and pulled him up close against him, fastening one arm around his neck and reaching back into his pocket with the other hand.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Ness," Duster hissed. From his pocket, he withdrew a switchblade. With a click, the metal blade unsheathed, and he wasted no time pressing it to the side of Ness' face. Ness stopped struggling, to avoid being cut. Duster, now slightly disheveled, continued, "Now, we can do this quick and easy, if you want. You give me your payment, I let you go, and everyone lives. Or, you could try and step out of your place again, and someone could loose more than just a bit of blood. It's a win-win for me  _either way._ "

"Lucian is right, this...this is unjust! I payed back _every_  cent I took from you, alright?" Ness rasped, panting.

" _Care to repeat that?_ " Duster challenged, pushing the blade downwards a few inches.

" _H'absolutely not! Nothin' to repeat...!_ " Ness cried against the pain, as a trail of crimson began to seep from the thin cut.

"Didn't  _think_  so. Now, let's try again." Duster moved the switchblade from Ness' face to his throat, making sure Ness could feel the metal touch his skin, "What'll it be?"

Lucas, who'd been watching in shock, broke out of his trance. As blood and adrenaline began to rush through his body, he looked down at his trembling hands. His eyes rested on his gloves; the gloves that represented his authority over everyone in the kingdom. He knew he had the power to end this once and for all. As he debated over and over in his mind, Ness struggled to find an excuse.

"Tick tock, you only have so much time." Duster threatened.

A burst of energy burned in Lucas' chest. He confidentially took a step forward, back straight. " _I am the prince of this kingdom, and the future king,_ " He thought, " _And my job is to care for all of my subjects._ "

"It'd be a wise decision to  _let him go!_ " Lucas exclaimed.

Somehow, this had pulled Duster's attention away from Ness, who cautiously opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. Duster stared at Lucas with a bewildered look, before giving another smirk, smoothly brushing his hair back.

"Ah, yes, I suddenly feel compelled to do  _exactly_  that." He jeered, swiftly aiming the switchblade at Ness' throat again, startling Ness into freezing up again. Ness stared at Lucas as if begging him to just leave him be. Lucas had never seen another person look so terrified before. Duster narrowed his eyes, "By order of whom?"

"By order of  _me._ " Lucas replied.

"You may be a respectful looking _chap_ , but I'm afraid your word isn't quite valid enough to change my mind." Duster muttered back.

"Then perhaps I should rephrase. I command you to release this boy," Lucas grabbed hold of his cloak, and in one motion, pulled it off of himself. Now revealed as his true self, he threw the coat to the side, refusing to take his eyes off of Duster's, "By order of the  _Prince of Dragonstep._ "

The whole world seemed to go silent. Duster's eyes widened, and on cue, he instantly released his hold on Ness, who collapsed to the ground, and scrambled to safety. Duster, like a blossom in a mud puddle, backed up a few steps. He opened his mouth to say something, but simply dropped onto one knee, bowing his head in respect.

"Y-your Highness, I didn't...I-I wasn't..." He shakily whispered, searching for an excuse. Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"Spare your excuses, they'll do you no good. Now, I could simply let you off with a warning, and we can forget this whole thing happened. Or, if you still feel the need to pursue this poor boy, I can easily alert the Captain of the Royal Guard, I can easily tell him I'm in danger..."

"Nonono,  _don't do that!_  No need to get violent, a warning is just fine! Look at that, Ness, you were right! Every last cent was all returned to me..." Duster stammered, " ...Please, may we just end this, perhaps?" He pleaded.

"On one condition," Lucas decided, "You will not tell a single soul I was here. Anyone finds out, and  _you'll_  be the one loosing more than just blood, got it? Or are we going to have a problem?"

"No problems! I like this plan, let's go with that. You have my word, not a single person will find out about this." Duster assured frantically.

"Then get to your feet," Lucas instructed, taking Duster's hand and helping him stand up, "I won't ensue any further action. From now on, you're forbidden to come anywhere near Ness. Go home, have a drink, and calm yourself down."

"Yes, of course," Duster nodded, "Th-thank you, Your Highness..."

Duster took a moment to brush off his clothing and a few stray bits of hair from his face, gave a nod in Ness' direction, before pivoting around and rushing back the way he came from, disappearing into another street. Lucas stayed where he was for a few moments, watching him go, to make sure he was gone for good. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lucas relaxed his body, and let his eyes drift closed. He composed himself, before turning around to retrieve his coat.

Of course, he was met with the wide, wonderstruck eyes of Ness. The lamplighter was still on the ground, leaning backwards and propping himself up with his hands, his face displaying the very definition of shock. As seconds ticked by with neither of them saying anything, Lucas pondered on the idea of simply leaving. Ness continued to stare back at him, jaw agape and barely blinking. Lucas nervously fidgeted with his fingers for a few seconds, unsure of what exactly to do. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, before moving again.

"Right, then...I should be off..." Lucas said, rushing to grab his hood and quickly throwing it over himself again.

" _W-wait!_  Hold on," Ness snapped out of his shock and took a knee, bowing his head the same way Duster had, one arm crossed behind his back, the other in front, "Your 'ighness..."

Lucas nodded in acknowledgement to the respectful gesture, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, it's just...it's  _you!_  It's  _really_  you, in flesh and blood! No wonder you knew so much about the Prince, because you  _are_  the Prince!" Ness paused, gasping loudly and clutching his chest, "And you talked to me! For a  _long_  time, too! A-and then you  _saved_  me! Goodness, this has to be one of the best nights of my life! Hell, _it is!_  People always say that the sound of your voice is more soothing than a bird's call, and it  _is!_  You're even more fair up close and in person..."

Lucas only sheepishly watched as Ness paced back and forth, practically talking to himself, more energetic than he'd been all night. He once again felt the slight itch of pride, hearing Ness ramble on and on about him. He tentatively reached up to brush back his hood, comfortable enough to expose his face. After a few moments, Ness stopped himself again.

"Oh lord, I must be makin' you ungodly uncomfortable right now," Ness realized, placing both hands behind his back respectfully.

"No, no, you're alright!" Lucas assured, reaching out his hand, "Listen, I need to ask a favour. I beg of you, not a single person hears of this, alright? If anyone finds out I've been out of the castle, everything could go wrong. I'll lose the one bit of freedom I have, so..."

"I swear on my own life, Your 'ighness! Say the word, and it's done!" Ness nodded hastily.

"A-and one other thing...no need to concern yourself with formalities. Just 'Lucas' is fine, you're a friend, after all." Lucas said. Ness scraped his heel against the ground, bashfully.

"Me, a friend of yours?" He breathed, "Never thought I'd live to see that day... _Lucas._ " Ness gleefully raised his shoulders, saying the name as if it were a special privilege. Lucas smiled.

"Of course you're a friend. I didn't just spend an hour and a half talking with you just to call you an  _acquaintance_ , or something." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh, that's right," Ness gasped, taking off his hat and clutching it in his hands, "Heh...it was you the whole time, wasn't it? I'm sorry, I'm just...very stunned at the moment."

"Take your time. I'm sorry I kept myself a secret, it's just...I really didn't want anyone to find out..."

"And no one will! I'll make sure of it," Ness confirmed, raising his hands in assurance, before hesitantly taking a few steps toward Lucas, "Not to speak out of turn, but...it's terribly late, would you...w-would you possibly want an escort back home?"

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm not heading home just yet. I usually don't go back until just before the sun begins to rise," Lucas excitedly flipped the hood back over his face, "I'm off to wander, just as I always do."

"I see! O-okay, sure! But...in case you meet up with trouble again...?" Ness hinted. Lucas grinned.

"I suppose I could use the protection of another person. I am a Prince after all, who knows who could be after me?" He playfully said, motioning for Ness to follow. Ness' eyes lit up, and he instantly obliged, joining Lucas at his side.

"Fantastic! You have an advantage, having met me. I know this entire town inside and out, y'know. Every nook and cranny. I guess it pays off, not living in one specific place. Sometimes it's a box in an alleyway, sometimes it's in the warehouse near the forest, and practically everywhere else. You get me? Well, obviously not, because you've lived in one single place your whole life. But you understand the excitement of being somewhere new, yeah? Anyways..."

As the two proceeded, Lucas was once again instantly treated to Ness' seemingly never ending conversation. He didn't mind, however. Lucas already wasn't quite the talker, so having someone to only listen to was a pleasant change. With the tables now turned, having Ness being the one to speak endlessly and Lucas being the one to silently listen, they continued to walk onto the next road, with no plan of where to go or what to do; just to wander and see where the rest of the night took them.

* * *

Lucas couldn't quite recall a better night in his entire life. While his time spent with his new friend had been simple, he couldn't imagine it going any other way. What was merely a few hours felt like minutes, for time had frustratingly seemed to fly by faster. He wasn't sure how they'd ended up back at the horse's stables when the first few signs of sunlight began to show, but he did know that this was where their time together ended. Upon approaching the stables, after making their way through the small forest that surrounded the area, they slowed down to a stop, and fell into silence. They looked at each other, both unsure of who should speak first. Ness leaned back against a tree, crossing his arms.

"I suppose this is where we part ways." He said, having become much more composed when talking to Lucas.

"It would seem so." Lucas nodded. He shrugged off his coat and neatly folded it over his arm. Ness' eyes widened just a bit upon seeing Lucas' attire, as if being once again reminded of who he was talking to. His eyes traced the gold embroidery over the chest, and the satin white cravat placed cleanly tied at his neck. He'd never even been  _near_  clothing so aristocratic before. It was so delicately made compared to his own tattered red vest and the dull green pants with sleeves that were too short.

"R-right, I'll be going," Ness decided.

"No, wait. I haven't thanked you."

"Thank me?"

"Of course. It was kind of you to give up your time for me." Lucas explained.

"That was nothing! H'aint like I've any time to waste, anyways," Ness replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "I should be the one thanking you, to be honest. I already didn't have much, and with Duster forcing me into a debt that didn't even exist...I-I would've gone to the authorities, but who would they believe, y'know? The presennable gentleman, or that one rotten little thief boy?"

"That's understandable. I'm glad I was able to help," Lucas said, "You know, if you really are struggling that much, well...I mean, I  _am_  the Prince, and...I've not a problem with a possible donation...?"

"Don't bother. Who needs charity?" Ness replied, tipping his head in thanks, "You ought to be on your way, Your H- I mean...Lucas. Lots of important royalty things to do."

"I'll say," Said Lucas, rolling his eyes, "So be it. When or where can I see you again?"

"You want to see me again? Truly?" Ness asked, blinking in surprise, "...U-um...I sell the weekly papers in town square during the day. If you listen, you're sure to hear me going off about the headline. But if you drop by during the night...well, you know where to find me."

"I do." Lucas replied with a smirk, "Get rest, alright? I'd hate to be the reason you passed out from exhaustion."

"Please, I've stayed awake for days on end before. I'll be alright," Ness brushed off, "Goodbye, then." He said with a tip of his hat.

"Safe travels." Lucas responded.

With one last exchanged nod between the two, each went their separate ways. Ness took off into the trees, while Lucas walked calmly into the stables.

After squeezing his way through the opening in the wall, he once again found himself within the walls of his home. To his relief, none of the castle staff who had already risen had seemed to notice his sudden appearance. Tucking the cape under his arm, Lucas straightened his posture, held his head up high, and made his way down the corridor as if he had always been there. As he passed various other people along the hallway, he was met with multiple nods of respect and acknowledgement. He responded to each with a nod of his own, keeping his usual calm and cool demeanor.

Lucas was suddenly caught slightly off guard; he heard a pattern of footsteps behind him that didn't match the others. They seemed rushed, and would stop for certain periods of time. He rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what the cause was. He kept walking, dreading the upcoming situation he'd be forced into. Multiple servants were obviously pretending not to watch him go, and many sets of eyes strayed behind him. Lucas continued to listen for the footsteps, which became closer and quicker. He held his breath, preparing, as the pursuer finally broke into a sprint.

" _Surprise test attack!_ "

On cue, Lucas dropped what he was holding and pivoted, just in time to dodge a sudden attack from none other than Claus. Claus wielded a masterfully crafted sword in one hand, and the one belonging to Lucas in the other. As he'd done many times before, he tossed the weapon to Lucas, who instantly fastened his grip around the handle, and dropped into a stance, just as he'd always done. The brothers instantly locked in battle, each delivering a quick and skilled move set with ease.

"It is  _too early for this!_ " Lucas groaned, jumping backwards to dodge a sudden riposte from Claus, who grinned.

"You'll need to learn how to do this even earlier than this time, you know! Quick, I'm an assassin who was hired to kill you, and the Captain of the Royal Guard is dead. Go!" Claus ordered, his eyes tracking his opponent's blade and predicting nearly each move he was preparing. He side stepped around Lucas and went for the side, but Lucas was quicker. The weapons collided forcefully, sending a wave of sparks flying to the side. The twins pushed against each other's weight, staring each other down, daring the other to make the next move. Finally, it was Lucas who overthrew Claus' strength and pushed him back.

From the sidelines, the staff simply went about their business. This type of thing happened constantly, it surely wasn't rare to witness the royal twins engaged in a heated sword fight. Although they all secretly watched in interested in their periphery, silently betting with each other who they thought was going to win, they pretended not to notice. One of Claus' duties, arranged by their father, was to inflict a surprise attack on Lucas every so often to test his skills and quick thinking. A chorus of "Ooh"s ran through the hallway as Lucas slightly lost his balance, and instead chose to bend backwards, propping himself up with his feet and one hand in order to dodge a side swing from Claus. He spent a few moments resisting attacks in the nearly upside down position, before sending a sudden kick at Claus' shin, buying himself enough time to roll backwards and back up onto his feet.

"One hand behind your back,  _go!_ " Claus instructed. Obediently, Lucas pinned one arm behind his back, giving himself an instant disadvantage on balance and control. However, he still responded to Claus' attacks with nearly the same expertise he had before.

Although he kept up a good fight, Lucas' sleepiness eventually took it's toll, and his vision blurred slightly. He was too slow to dodge a sudden forward thrust, and fell back to the floor, dropping his weapon. Claus took the chance to take hold of the sword, and swung both weapons forward. However, he stopped the attack right before the blades had a chance to make contact with Lucas, who drew back, wincing. Claus smiled in satisfaction, having won the fight. Panting, he took both weapons onto one hand, and held out his other hand to help his twin stand up. Lucas gratefully got to his feet with his brother's help, the sound of metal crashing still echoing in his mind, and energy still rushing through his veins. He brushed off his clothes.

"You're distracted." Claus commented, handing his brother's sword to it's rightful owner.

"If you haven't noticed, the sun has barely risen, and I'm incredibly tired." Lucas protested, pushing the sword into the holster he wore at his side. Claus did the same, and cast him a suspicious glare.

"There's a difference between being tired and  _not paying attention_. Walk with me," Claus ordered. Lucas mockingly mouthed his words, and begrudgingly followed. As they walked, each catching their breath, Claus glanced to the side at Lucas. He had a slight disappointed look in his green eyes, "That wasn't awful, but it wasn't good. You're usually able to keep up a battle for several minutes at a time, that wasn't even fifty seconds. What's on your mind?"

" _Nothing_ , I told you. I'm just very, very tired." Lucas assured, only half paying attention.

"You snuck out again. I  _knew_  it, I knew you would! What happened out there? You're completely dazed." Claus asked, snapping a few times to get Lucas out of his seemingly half awake trance.

"Nothing happened!" Lucas insisted, gently pushing his hand away, "I made a friend, is all."

"Oh, of  _course you did_..." Claus breathed, putting a hand to his forehead, "...High class, I hope?"

"Not exactly."

"A commoner, then?" Claus guessed again. When Lucas didn't answer, he sighed, "Oh, don't tell me it's one of those  _urchins_  I always see..."

"He's not an  _urchin_ , he just doesn't have anywhere to go!" Lucas said, "He's very kind."

"Just watch and see how long he keeps it up. Lucas, street rats are dangerous. They lie, they  _cheat_ , they  _steal_...Just watch, he'll build up your trust, he'll manipulate you..."

"He'd never!" Lucas protested.

"...And then, once you think you can't know him any better, you'll end up with a knife in your back and a bloody hand print left on your face."

"You're just trying to scare me away from that place. Claus, I've barely ever had anyone to talk to ever since Mum died, besides you, our father, and  _staff_. This is one of the best things that's ever happened to me! Once I take over the throne, I'll have to spend  _every waking minute_  in this place, so I'm trying to enjoy my time as the Prince as much as I can! Don't you _trust_  me?"

"Of  _course_  I trust you..." Claus admitted, "...But how well can  _you_  trust  _him?_ " He stopped walking and turned to face Lucas.

"Fully." Lucas decided, "I can feel it."

Claus said nothing for a moment, simply eyeing his brother reluctantly, before closing his eyes and sighing, "...Then I won't stop you."

Lucas tipped his head gratefully, and put an arm on his twin's arm, "Thank you. I know what I'm doing."

"I'm sure." Claus turned on his heel and continued on his way.

"You just have to meet him, that's it!" Lucas insisted, jogging to follow his speed walking pace, "You'll never guess. This boy I met; he's the one who lights them up."

"Lights what, exactly?"

"The streetlamps! It's odd, I never thought about what did it! I always thought that perhaps they lit up by themselves, or that it was a spirit...I never thought about the fact that a person did it. And I met the person who does it!" Lucas excitedly explained.

"Oh, the lamplighter boy. Can't remember his name to save my life. I've seen him around while on patrol; what an odd child. Chooses to climb the lampposts rather than just using a ladder."

"He used to have a ladder, but he burnt it in order to keep himself warm one night," Lucas told, remembering the story previously explained to him, "I think odd is good. He's strange, in his own special way."

"Whatever you say." Claus said, "Now, this entire time, I've been making my way to the training hall. So unless you want to be used as my fetcher for arrows, I suggest you go back to your quarters and catch up on rest."

Lucas stopped, realizing that they had traveled to the west wing, which led to the training area for the Royal Guard. He shivered, remembering the last time, when he'd been used as a sparring partner and had nearly lost a hand. He took a step back.

"Right you are," Lucas nodded hastily, "I'll be seeing you."

The brothers split paths and departed. As Lucas confidently walked down the hallway of polished tile and golden braid, he could hear a single sentence replay in his head again, which sent a tremor down his spine, both out of anxiety and excitement for the day ahead.

' _You know where to find me.'_

 


	2. Step, Step, Touch

"Your Highness, are you paying attention?"

Lucas snapped awake and brushed his hair back.

"The Interrogation Process!" He cried, repeating the first answer that came to mind. Across from him sat his Father's substitute teacher for the day, a young woman named Paula. She blinked once, stunned by the out of nowhere reply before her face fell a bit.

"That wasn't even close to what I asked. I asked you about what you would do when faced with a decision of death row as King." Paula explained, leaning against the table discerningly. She intertwined her fingers, "When you take over the throne, it'll be your job to give the call for executions. When someone is accused of a crime considered a felony, you will have the overall decision of whether they are jailed, or killed. The court will be the one to influence you, but you have the top decision. What would you do in this situation?"

Lucas took a moment to clear his thoughts and return to reality, "Death row? U-um..." He thought for a moment, "Well, it depends on how terrible the crime was. A murder, for example. I'd say jail time, or possibly labor. But a string of murders, that calls for death, I'd say. Or, at least...that's what my Father would say."

Paula sighed, "It's understandable. Being faced with such a decision is such a large responsibility, I don't know how His Majesty does it. Having someone's life in your hands like that."

"This whole thing is just so frightening," Lucas admitted, slumping back, "I'm only eighteen years old, what if my Father chooses to retire  _this_  year? What if he falls ill, and...?"

"The best thing to do is look ahead, with positivity. That's your specialty, isn't it?" Paula suggested, "If you take over the throne at your current age, you'll have plenty of us to guide you. There's still so much you need to learn. But I'm confident that this kingdom is in fantastic hands."

"I bet Claus would be able to do it." Lucas muttered.

"The Commander is a respectable boy, yes," Paula nodded, "But he is far too ambitious and passionate to raise a kingdom. Giving him too much power could be a bad idea. A King needs to be firm, but also controlled. If your brother had power over Dragonstep, I believe he could have the potential to send us into a future of war."

"Perhaps, I see where you're coming from." Lucas said. It was true, Claus lacked the ability to be controlled. When provoked, Claus often launched directly into battle, due to his aggressive nature. Lucas shuddered, knowing that he himself would soon have the power to declare war. Once he inherited the throne, he would be able to simply wave a hand, and he would send an entire town's worth of soldiers cascading into the next town over. It was hard enough for him to learn how to sword fight, for he'd been so reluctant to risk hurting someone.

"Now, to move on to what your father wanted me to discuss with you," Paula began, closing the book she'd previously been reading from, "To get you used to the idea of having control over a criminal's death, you will be responsible for giving the next order of proceeding."

Lucas froze, and his heart rate picked up, "...C-come again?"

"At the next public execution, you will be the one to instruct the gunmen to fire at will. Basically, you'll be giving the go forth."

"I can't do that!" Lucas cried, getting up out of his chair in a sudden panic, "Please, not now! That's a  _human life_  I'll have in my grasp, can't I just wait until I'm much older?"

"I'm sorry, but His Majesty's word tramples yours, Your Highness. That's the order he gave me. And you and I both know how stubborn he gets when he puts his mind to something."

"But...!" Lucas bit his lip, knowing that Paula was absolutely right. His gaze fell to the floor, and he begrudgingly sat back down, "...Understood."

Paula's eyes glistened sympathetically. "Oh, it's not all too bad, you know. I guarantee your father was just as frightened when he was eighteen. And remember, there's really not that many death sentences to begin with. Dragonstep is a very peaceful kingdom. Who knows? The next one could be years from now."

Her words filled Lucas' chest with the warmth of relief, but it wasn't enough to overpower the dread taking over the rest of him. He peered out of the window, his eyes drawing across the sunlit buildings of the village below them. Out of everyone down there, which would be the one he'd announce the death of? The thought sent another wave of shivers through him that made winter trembles feel like mere tingling. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his wooden chair.

"Well, whomever it may be, I hope it's someone I loathe. I hope it's someone who's done something so awful, I'd have to physically restrain myself from killing them myself." He spat bitterly, as a way to assure his confidence, "I hope it's someone who makes me feel things no one else has been able to."

Paula smiled, endeared by the blond's attempts at being threatening, but decided to humor him, "There will not be a one who does not fear you, young master." She promptly brushed her neat blond hair back and stood up, "Anyways, I think you've had enough for this morning, seeing as you practically just fell asleep right in front of me. You must keep track of your sleeping schedule, you know. Has it been difficult, without your father around?"

"O-oh, no!" Lucas assured, quickly standing up and tucking his chair under the wooden table, "It's not that. I was...very ill yesterday, you see. I stayed up all night practically coughing up my own insides. But other than that, I'm fine."

"Well, that's good to hear," Paula said. She rounded the table and walked up close to Lucas, leaning into him a bit, "You're doing very good so far." She whispered, flashing a quick wink at him.

Lucas waved as she left the study, hiding his guilt behind a weak smile. If there was anything he didn't like about running off all the time, it was definitely all the lying that came with it. The worry faded as he exited the study however, and he found himself in a long, empty corridor. The polished floor below him reflected the high ceiling. It was lined with several pillars that started from the walls and climbed up, before arching over the ceiling like an endless line of prosceniums. Lucas' plate heeled boots made clicking noises against the marble floors as he silently approached a wide spanning window nearby. The window was almost entirely draped over with dark crimson curtains, save for the center. A small rectangle of light beamed down against the floor and the opposing wall. Promptly, Lucas grabbed each drape and threw them to the sides, instantly washing the entire hallway with the sun's golden glow. Lucas excitedly pressed himself against the glass, taking in as much morning sunlight as he could. His eyes lazily drifted closed, and a relaxed sigh escaped his lips. How he loved the sunlight.

When his eyes opened again, his gaze drifted to the ant-sized town, crowded with ant-sized people as they milled about. Gloved fingers pressed against the glass surface, he enthusiastically propped up onto the tips of his toes to get a better look. Anticipation flowed like the blood in his veins. He bit his lip, wanting nothing more than to escape out into the outside world. His thoughts raced, and no matter how hard he concentrated, all he could think of was that  _boy_. Ness, the peculiar lamplighter, who'd charmed him so. Lucas was practically falling apart at the seams with desire to see his first friend again. Never in his life had he imagined that simply talking to someone could be such a fascinating experience. A part of him was almost motivated enough to simply walk right through the gates, in full royal attire, and travel into the village without a care given. He'd face any possible danger out there, if it meant he got to see Ness again.

However, Lucas' eyes fixated on his hand pressed against the window. His brow furrowed, as he studied the fabric of his gloves. He then observed the gold crewel work which had been so carefully stitched into the ivory brocade of his waistcoat. He looked at the epaulets fastened to his shoulders and the buttons over his chest, each gleaming with burnished bronze. He pressed his lips into a thin line.

" _No, I can't...not yet._ " He thought, turning away from the window, " _I wear these clothes for a reason. My father left because he trusts me enough to leave this country in my hands. I mustn't let him down."_

To remind himself of his priorities, Lucas fixed his posture, resting his arms neatly at his sides and tilting his head confidently upwards.

" _I will see him later today_." He decided, " _After all, I know where to find him._ "

* * *

" _Aaaand_ , our Prince is once again defeated!" Claus proudly put a hand on his hip as he stared down at his crouched brother, "By whom, you may ask? The Commander, of course! Knocked him  _right_  on his-"

"Alright, alright, we've all heard it before," Lucas playfully rolled his eyes, face red with chagrin. He got to his feet, staggering at the headrush that followed. Around him, he heard the sounds of blades colliding and arrows being shot into wooden targets. He bent down to retrieve his faithful sword off the floor, which he'd just used in yet another heated clash against his red-haired twin. The two stood on a fairly small, solid mat to use as a battleground, in the royal training hall. Lucas took a few seconds to dampen the side of his face with a nearby cloth, shook his head to compose himself, and reared back into a stance, "Again."

Opposite of his brother, Claus had barely broken a sweat. He raised an eyebrow, catching the glance of a nearby supervisor, who shrugged.

"We've been going at this for a long time, Lucas. Look at you, you're exhausted." Claus observed, raising his sword towards his face to inspect the notches and scratches left by the countless battles they'd had that day.

"Nonsense! I am not!" Lucas assured, somewhat absentminded, "Who said anything about being  _distracted?_ "

"Um... _no one_  did." Claus said. He pushed his weapon into its holster and gave the supervisor a wave of his hand, dismissing him, "Thank you, that will be all."

"What? No, I can still fight!" Lucas protested, deepening his stance and tightening his hold on the grip. However, the coach had already disappeared. Claus calmly approached his twin and set both hands on his shoulders.

"You need to take a  _break_." He said, emphasizing the 'k' on his last word, "We've been training ever since the sun was at the left of that window. It's got to be at least noon at this point. You're usually begging me into letting you leave. What's on your mind?"

Lucas reluctantly put away the weapon, knowing there was no escape now, "It's just that  _boy_ , I can't get him out of my  _head._ "

"The beguiling begins." Claus muttered, "It's just excitement, having met someone new. Are you just trying to distract yourself?"

"...Yes." Lucas admitted, "I just... _really_  want to see him again."

Claus clicked his teeth, and looked down at the floor, as if in deep thought. He sympathetically glanced back up at his brother, "Have you anything else to get done today?"

"Not that I know of, every duty has been attended to. I haven't got a thing." Lucas confirmed. Claus hesitated for a moment, before leaning in close.

"Well then, I can't  _believe_  I'm about to deign to do this for you," He whispered, "Come with me."

Half out of curiosity, and half out of wanting to get out of the loud hall, Lucas hastily followed his brother. Claus said nothing as he led Lucas down several hallways. Lucas realized they were heading for Claus' room. Once they arrived, Claus instructed for him to wait outside, which he patiently obliged to. Claus reemerged with something tucked under his cutaway coat and approached Lucas close up once again, putting an arm around him, as if to support him.

" _Put that acting to use. Pretend you've just been hit with the worst sickness you've ever suffered from._ " Claus said quietly. Lucas didn't even have to think twice; any chance he had to be overdramatic, he'd take it in a heartbeat. He staggered backwards, placing a flourished hand to his forehead.

"Oh,  _dearest brother of mine!_  I feel as if I've been  _shot_ , then  _thrown_  into the sun's flames!" Lucas instantly cried as loud as possible, making sure to trill his r's, "Never have I felt such  _agony_ , such  _torture_ , such  _paralyzing anguish_  in my entire eighteen years!"

"But  _Lucas,_ " Claus called, projecting his voice to play along, noticing that several staff members had turned to watch with concern, "It's so early in the day, you can't rest now!"

" _I must!_ " Lucas replied, falling back, but being kept upright by Claus' strong grip, "I beg of you, let me escape the suffering, caused by..." Lucas paused, searching through his limited knowledge on illnesses, "Uh...Tuberculosis...!"

"A-ah, you seem to have mispronounced the word 'flu' a slight bit, you kidder!" Claus said, "We must get you to your quarters, allow me to escort you there myself. I feel as if you must stay there for the  _rest of the day._ " Claus raised his voice on his last sentence, to make sure everyone watching had heard.

The brothers continued to yell over each other, with Lucas pretending as if he were dying, and Claus giving fake cries of encouragement and grief. The presentation of melodrama seemed to work, to their relief. Lucas' supposed 'illness' was met with looks of sympathy. They quickly walked to Lucas' room, slipped inside, and closed the door tightly behind them. The moment they were alone in the room, both went silent. Lucas cleared his throat, having made it hoarse from all the shouting.

"Now, then," He began, "What was all that about? Not that I didn't enjoy it, of course."

"Um, well..." Claus reluctantly reached into his coat, "Seeing you this happy, it's...nice. Which is why, just this once, I'll do this for you."

Lucas' eyes widened when he saw Claus reveal a neatly folded pile of clothing. It was the disguise Lucas had kept under his floorboard, that he'd been missing. He hastily ran over to grab it and hugged the outfit to his chest.

"I knew it, it  _was_  you!" Lucas accused, "Why're you giving it back to me?"

"Like I said, it's nice seeing you this excited. I suppose there's no harm in letting you have a bit of free will...after all, you are eighteen years of age; an adult. But, as I said, I'm only doing this once. I still don't like you running off, alright? Make sure you are completely unrecognizable, got it? I don't care if you have to powder your face and smear your hair with ash."

"You got it, completely unrecognizable. Understood!" Lucas cried. He had already thrown off his coat, vest, and dress shirt, and was working on pulling the patched puff-sleeved shirt over his head. Once he had it on, he glanced up at Claus with the most genuine smile the ginger had seen in a long while, "Thank you, a million times plus one!"

"Don't get used to it. Don't worry about being caught, I'll inform everyone that you do not wish to be seen today. Make sure you come to the library when you return, I want to speak with you," Claus said, as he neared the door, "And Lucas? Be careful."

"I always am." Said Lucas, nodding his head.

Claus nodded back, before promptly leaving the room, and gently closing the door. Lucas rushed to lock it. In less than a minute, he'd already completely changed out of his usual attire and had donned himself in the tattered clothing. He quickly put both hands in his well-groomed hair and began to thrash it into a complete mess, to the point where it barely resembled it's usual, upwards style. To finish it off, he kicked off his boots, deciding to go barefoot. He examined himself in the mirror against the wall nearby.

"Hmm..." He hummed to himself, " _...Lucian._ " He smirked, happy with his appearance.

With that, Lucas checked the door once more to be safe, before grabbing hold of the window and carefully hoisting himself out, relishing the freedom of the cold air blowing against his skin, and adrenaline rushing through his body.

* * *

Town square.

It wasn't hard to find, being a large open space in the middle of the village, completely paved over with cobblestone and housing a large, rusted, but beautifully sculpted fountain in the middle. Lucas shyly padded into the open area, surrounded by hoards of both commoners and higher class alike. He'd gotten a few looks that studied him longer than he'd liked. He could easily read the faces of those who passed, and they all had the very subtle impression that the little skinny blond boy in the crowd had a  _very striking_  resemblance to a certain position of royalty, but no one had come forth to question him.

Lucas strained to search the square, trying to spot the familiar head of unkempt, scruffy black hair. But with the number of people crowding the place, he felt hopeless. He spotted the fountain, which he decided to use to get a better view. He quickly ran to it's rusted frame and climbed up onto it, shivering as the cold metal touched the bare soles of his feet. Not caring about the mist of water spraying the back of his neck, he once again began to search the crowd. He frowned, having no luck. His friend was simply nowhere to be found.

That was until a particular voice stood out from among the crowd from behind him.

"Well, no wonder you wanted me to keep the change,  _this h'ain't even a shilling!_  It's just a piece a' metal shaped like one, ya' bloody  _cheapskate shit tucker!_ I h'isn't happy with the 2 pence tax either, but you don't hafta go and trick me into thinkin' you gave me twelve of 'em!  _Piss off!_ "

Lucas gasped; he could recognize that tone from anywhere. He spun around, instantly catching sight of a crimson vest.

" _That's Ness...!_ " He thought, instantly feeling the need to hide. In all of his excitement, Lucas had completely forgotten how remarkably shy he was towards casual interactions. Trying to stop himself from going red in the face, he brushed his disheveled hair back put on a confident expression. How small he felt, when he wasn't the Prince.

"C'mon then, you all know the drill! Read all 'bout it, the whole shebang! Just a fourpence,  _real_  pence, and you can get your beloved lady-miss the best three year h'anniversary gift in this wide, wide kingdom! Not to mention, you'll be helping out a street chap who just wants to eat more than a single godforsaken crust of  _bread for once!_  How about it?" Ness was visibly irritated and tired, one hand raised high in the air grasping a paper to attract any possible buyers, and the other cupped over his mouth to project his voice. However, the area around him was the one part of the square that seemed to be barren. It seemed as if he was being purposefully avoided. Defeated, he groaned, lowering the newspaper and pouting. Lucas, at this point, had approached his side. Now seeing Ness' face in the daylight, he noticed the colour of his eyes, a dark purple. He also noticed a collection of scars along his jawline. One scar, in particular, was much larger than the rest and crawled it's way up to his temple. Lucas smiled.

"Having trouble?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, as usual," Ness replied, oblivious, giving Lucas a quick side glance. Suddenly, he perked up with a double take, looking him up and down with wide eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but barely any words came out, "...You...? Wait...you're...?" He paused, before shaking his head dismissively, "No."

"Yes." Lucas countered, confirming Ness' suspicious. Ness looked at him again, more pleased than shocked. A smile crossed his face, as he began to recognize Lucas.

"Really!" Ness said, receiving a nod back, "You _really_  know how to disguise yourself, don't you? Took me a moment, Your H-" He stopped, before correcting himself, " _...Lucas._ "

"You've no idea how happy I am to see you," Lucas explained gleefully, "I couldn't stop thinking about you, all day. I've never even been out this early in the day before, in fact. I've never had the nerve to, until now."

Ness blinked, before hunching his shoulders and lowering the brim of his cap, "...Y-you don't say? How very flatterin'...!" He stammered, "You, of all people, happy to see me? Trust me, I'm thrilled to see  _you_ , because I needed confirmation that last night actually  _happened._ "

"It did!" Lucas said, shifting his weight from the toes to his heels joyfully, "I didn't realize you'd have this much of a tough time with your selling."

"It's always like this, honestly. No one wants to give up  _four lousy pence for a newspaper!_ " Ness raised his voice at the last part, directing it towards a passing couple who seemed to be of a higher class. They simply rushed past. Ness sighed, taking off his hat to run a hand through his hair, "I thought I'd struck gold today, y'know. Some respeckable lookin' gent comes over and says he'll give me a whole shilling. A whole twelve pence! Tells me to keep the change as a tip. But then, just as the bugger disappears, it turns out he gave me  _this!_ Just a scrap of metal. Not even silver."

Lucas observed the rusted metal scrap that Ness held up. He smiled sympathetically and looked up towards Ness.

"You know, I'm no expert in your trade, but I think I know the reason people seem to...detour around you. No offense, but you tend to...well,  _shout_  a lot." Lucas admitted.

"Well of course I shout, it's in the job description. You know, ' _extra, extra, read all about it_ '! It's what I do." Ness explained.

"What I mean, is...you're very brash. Watch this." Lucas motioned for Ness to hand over the patched tote bag strapped across his chest. Once Ness gave it up, Lucas shrugged it over his shoulder, and reached over to snatch Ness' cap, and put it over his own head.

As Ness watched in confusion, Lucas stepped into the open area just as a pair of well-dressed women crossed by.

"Excuse me, Miss ladies," Lucas stopped them with the highest voice he could muster. He looked up at the girls with large, childlike eyes, instantly capturing their attention, "I-I only want to be able to afford dinner for me and my family, would you be willing to spare four pence for this week's news? There's a story in there about a woman, like yourselves, but I don't think she's as pretty."

The two women, completely wrenched by Lucas' performance, looked at each other, before one of them spoke, holding a hand to her chest.

"Goodness, of course we will. No boy of fourteen deserves to starve..." She cooed.

"I'm thirteen..." Lucas sighed.

"You know what? Sixpence. Take care of your family, now."

They quickly made the transaction, as Lucas handed a copy over. As the pair walked away, Lucas proudly made his way back towards Ness. He held his hand out over Ness' palm.

"Six _real_  pence." He said with a smug grin, as he dropped the collections into the stunned newsboy's hand. Ness stared down at the payment, then glanced back up at Lucas, completely dumbfounded. He clicked his teeth and took his hat back, before taking back his tote bag with a huff.

"Easy for you. See, I actually  _look_  my age." Ness muttered, with a hint of playfulness, "I don't have those pretty little blue eyes that you've got, neither. So whatever you just did, I can't do that."

"Which is why  _you_  just need to charm. I know you can, you got me to talk to you for hours on end last night." Lucas reminded, "There's a nice looking girl over there, go butter her up. Use that grin you've got. Tip your head to the side, let your hair fall over your face. Show her that you're worth buying newspapers from."

Ness looked back at him reluctantly, but eventually sighed and shrugged, "Worth a shot."

Fixing his gaze on a particular young lady who had stopped to admire the fountain's display, he approached her. She barely noticed.

"S'xcuse me, missus," Ness began. The girl turned to look at him. Following Lucas' instructions, he smirked, and let his head tip to the side, as he leaned casually against the sculpting, "Has anyone ever told you that you've got just about the most lively, soulful eyes anyone's ever seen?"

The girl froze for a moment, mouth agape, before she sheepishly burst into a small fit of giggling, and looked downwards.

"I can't say anyone has..." She said. Ness raised an eyebrow.

"Well, more people should." He murmured, "Say, you wanna help a fellow out? Make yourself a purchase of one a' these here fancy schmancy papers? If anyone can make these ugly things look good, it's most definitely you."

The girl, completely entranced by Ness' soft tone and flirtatious language, brushed a lock of hair out of her face and smiled, "...I think I can manage that."

For a quick moment, Lucas felt a flutter in his chest. It was short, but powerful. Something about Ness' honeyed voice and his gentle smile gave him a warm, entranced feeling. It wore off quickly, as Lucas shook his head to dismiss it. Seconds later, Ness proudly returned to where Lucas sat, head held high, as he slid another bit of payment into his bag.

"What'd I tell you?" Lucas asked.

"Well, it certainly works better than calling 'em a 'shit tucker'," Ness said jokingly. They both laughed, as Ness sat down beside Lucas.

"You have  _got_  to teach me how to do that," Lucas insisted, "I can't charm a girl for the life of me. There's a reason I haven't gotten engaged yet, and it's because I have zero chemistry with every female on this planet."

"But _you're_  the one who just taught  _me_  how to do that."

"Doesn't mean I can  _actually_  do it. It's not like I'm scared of talking to girls at all, it's just...whenever I try to feel some sort of click, there's...nothing. Eighteen years, and I'm still alone. They're going to be calling me 'Prince Lonely'. When I die, I'm not going to be buried with anyone. Because I'll have died alone."

"You're not going to die alone, you're the  _Prince_ , for heaven's sake. You'll find someone, and she'll be lovely." Ness assured, putting his hands behind his head, "And you know what? I bet it'll be someone who you'd never expect. Like, you could be sitting  _right_  next to her one day, and it turns out that she's the one for you."

"I suppose you're right," Lucas said, leaning forwards and resting his chin in his hands, "I just don't want to end up in an arrangement. Being forced to be wed with someone you barely even know. My father says that if I don't find someone soon enough, he'll just go find someone for me."

"How unfair that is!" Ness breathed, "Has he got even a lick of sense on how romance works? No offense to His Majesty, of course."

"What he can't hear won't hurt him." Lucas shrugged, grinning, "How long 'till you're finished up here?"

"The boss says all I've gots ta' do is sell every copy in the bag, then I'm free to go. You can see how well that worked out." Ness said, "No one wants to buy from an apparently very brash street rat."

Lucas nudged him, "How about the brash street rat's blind, mute, and ill younger brother who has only months to live?" He suggested, gesturing to himself. Ness thought for a moment.

"...Now  _that_  might just work." He decided.

And Ness was correct. With Lucas' overdramatic performance and Ness' heartbreaking tale which he made up on the spot, more and more pamphlets began to disappear, and more and more payment was collected. In fact, not even a half an hour passed before Ness finally handed over the last copy he had to a passing couple. Both boys sat back on their place at the fountain, and Ness inspected he now empty tote bag. He brushed his hands together and glanced at Lucas.

"Well, what we just did in twenty minutes normally takes me six hours." Ness said in satisfaction, "Never thought  _you_  would be the one to teach me the ways of scam."

"I was a master at pretending to be deathly ill to get out of classes as a child. I've been scamming since the beginning." Lucas explained.

"H'alright, that's something I  _didn't_  know about you." Ness said, "Now that I've got a considerable amount of free time...I don't suppose you came here just to sit, yes?"

"W-well, you said last night that you do know your way around, um..." Lucas fidgeted nervously with his hands. Ness nudged him with his shoulder.

"Does a certain someone want another certain someone to show him around?"

"Please! I've only ever been around the Eastern side of the town! I just...want to see _everything._ "

"Hmm..." Ness thought for a moment. Lucas could see an idea pop into his head, as his eyes lit up, "...Well, I do have a way of showing you  _everything_ , if you're interested. It'll take a bit of walking."

"Anything it takes, lead the way." Lucas replied. Ness tipped his head back proudly.

"Gladly."

* * *

Lucas winced slightly as his bare feet were jabbed at by pointed stones. Being so used to wearing soft soled boots, this was highly uncomfortable. Ness trailed close behind him, one hand clamped over Lucas' eyes, and the other guiding him by the hand. They were traveling up what felt to be a steep hill, surrounded by pine trees and bushes. Ness had insisted that Lucas have his eyes covered, and this made for tricky maneuvering. The whole while, Lucas' heart raced. He'd never traveled so far away from home before. However, the nervousness was greatly trampled by his overwhelming excitement.

"Just a bit longer, Your 'ighness..." Ness assured, "It'll all be worth it."

"Do you have to cover my eyes?" Lucas asked.

"I want you to be surprised! Trust me, if you've never taken a step outside the Eastern village, then you've never seen anything like this." Said Ness. Lucas decided to humor him, and continued.

To his relief, he began walking on soft grass instead of jagged rocks. He breathed in a new, fresh scent of saltwater and wildflowers, and a large gust of wind nearly bowled him over. He gasped quietly. He felt Ness' hand's slip a bit, but he didn't dare open his eyes. He was slowly led forwards a few paces before he was slowed to a stop. Although his vision was black, Lucas was already visualizing what could've possibly been before him. His mind constructed several things. He felt the warmth of Ness' body behind him, softly pressed against his back. The wind slowed to a warm breeze. A few birds chirped softly nearby. Lucas held his breath.

"Alright..." Ness murmured. Lucas felt cold air rush over his face as Ness took his hand away. His vision turned from black to pale orange as the sun hit his eyelids. Ness gripped his hand tighter, "...Open up."

Lucas promptly let his eyes drift open. He gasped loudly and staggered back a bit, falling into Ness, who snickered and stopped him from falling.

"Oh, my...! Oh, Lord above!" Lucas breathed, his voice airy in disbelief, "This is...!"

"You said you wanted to see everything, yes?" Ness asked softly, "Here it is. Everything."

Before them, the Earth steeply dropped into a vast cliff edge. And beyond that, a panoramic display of the entire city, each building and structure resembling a box in a seemingly never-ending maze. Even the castle's pointed turrets and crafted architecture looked small and insignificant. The spread of buildings seemed to go on for miles, before fading into the mountain range that surrounded Dragonstep. The sun's rays reflected off of the snow-covered tops of each mountain, which delivered sparkling trails of melted water into the massive lake that lay just before the border. Lucas was nearly blinded by the shimmering, ever-changing bokeh cast by the rippling body of water. Below the pair, a long stretch of rocky expanse, which gave way like a gradient into a pine forest. Just by looking over the edge, Lucas felt his heart stop. He clung to Ness like the last leaf on a branch, as his legs began to shake.

"S-so high up...!" Lucas whispered. Ness's eyes widened a bit, as he was stunned by Lucas' tight grip on him. Ignoring the heat in his face, Ness smiled in amusement.

"You're okay, you won't fall." He assured. To encourage him to go farther, he pressed a gentle nudge of pressure to Lucas' shoulders, causing the disguised Prince to give a high pitched yelp, and he backed up even further. Ness kept his balance, trying to stifle laughter, "Your 'ighness, i-it's alright! Lucas!"

Upon hearing his name, Lucas managed to calm himself just a bit. He took in gasp after gasp of air, as his pounding heart managed to slow down. While he didn't release Ness' arms, he managed to keep his legs from quivering. Lucas looked down at the long, green grass below him. He dug his toes into the ground and felt the soft dirt crumble away. He noticed the surrounding groups of bluebells and foxgloves, which splattered the canvas of a cliffside with patches of blue and pink. His eyes once again swept the horizon, which was slightly rounded at the curve of the Earth. He noticed the thin, orange line where the sky met the Earth. And then, there was his kingdom. He gazed down at the clay tile roofs of houses, the chimney smoke of seemingly infinite bakeries and forges, the limestone carvings of central halls and offices. While he couldn't see his subjects, he knew they were there. Below him were thousands of people, who he cared for so. For once, standing even higher than the castle itself, Lucas truly felt like not just a Prince, but the true King of Dragonstep.

He said nothing, as his hold on Ness released, and he slowly made his way forward. Although the rushing wind hurt his eyes, he dared not squint, and kept them wide open. Feeling the bridge of his nose grow hot, Lucas realized his eyes had begun to water. He sniffled once, letting go of the fabric of his clothing. Ness, somewhat concerned, slowly approached from behind.

"Lucas?" He asked. Lucas said nothing at first, opening his mouth to take in a shaky breath.

"T-tell me, Ness..." He began voicelessly, "Have you ever loved something so much, you...feel like a parent to your children?"

Ness blinked, "U-um...can't say that I 'ave."

"I've been given the pleasure of knowing the pride a father feels, without even having to been given a son," Lucas said, "How can raising a kingdom be any different from raising a child?"

"N-not too much, I'd assume."

"It's the same process as watching it grow, and develop. And every single thing you do, as it's guardian, will affect its future. And when you die...the last thing you think of is your pride and joy. And you beg every god above that when you're gone, it will flourish."

The tears welling up in Lucas' eyes had finally spilled, and he did not resist. Overcome with emotion and love for the country that had become his child, he couldn't care less that his sensitive nature had fully revealed itself. Ness glanced at him from the side, out of interest.

"I've never thought of it that way. How poetic." Ness murmured, half to himself. Upon looking at his friend's tearstained face, Ness fought back his own urge to comfort him. This wasn't someone who required comfort. However, Ness felt like perhaps, he needed some form of contact. Reluctantly, he slowly moved a hand to his right, with the intent of taking Lucas'. Suddenly, Ness realized what he was doing, and stopped. But he was too late, as his little finger had already begun curving around Lucas'. Lucas took notice, and Ness quickly moved his hand away, "...Sorry."

"No, no, don't be...!" Lucas stammered, quickly reaching over and promptly hooking his little finger around Ness'. He looked at his friend's surprised face with hopeful eyes, "...I-is this okay?"

"Of course, yes!" Ness quickly assured. Both boys, using only shared glances, awkwardly moved their hands to greet each other, eventually joining palms, and tentatively intertwining their fingers. Lucas gave an anxious smile, which Ness returned, "...W-would you rather I hold it in the fancy rich person way?"

"No need," Lucas said, "I, ah...I like this way better."

Ness hastily nodded, "...Right, then."

Neither kept track of how much time went by, filled only each other's silence, and the gentle rushing of wind. As the solid white clouds above slowly passed over a cerulean sky, both boys found themselves lost in the world around them. At one point, one of them had initiated for the two to sit down, but it had been so mindless, neither could remember who it was, or when it had happened. The pair of unlikely friends sat just before the edge, Ness being brave enough to let his legs dangle over the sheer drop. Lucas found himself biting his lip, slightly embarrassed at his display of overwhelming happiness earlier. He thought for several moments on how to detour Ness' possible thoughts on him. He pulled his hand away, somewhat out of nervousness.

"I, um..." He began, "I really do owe you thanks. For bringing me here. I've never seen anything quite like this."

"It's the least I can do, really." Ness shrugged, pulling his legs into crisscross, "I'm glad you're able to find beauty in something I can't."

"What do you mean?"

"In all honesty, I just want to get  _out._ " Ness admitted, "You know how each day goes for me? Wake up in the morning. Look for scraps behind the nearest bakery. Pick up the weekly press. Sell it. Look for more scraps. Light the lamps. Go to bed. My entire life is dedicated to  _surviving._ "

"I'm confused, is that not what every life is dedicated to?" Lucas asked, cocking his head to the side.

"No, most lives are dedicated to  _living_ , not surviving. Sure, I've managed to stay alive for nineteen years, but I've never really... _lived_ , y'know?" Ness prompted.

"Ah..." Lucas murmured, nodding softly, "...Understandable."

"You understand, to an extent. You said your days are often spent trapped inside your home, yes?" Ness asked.

"Well, yes, but I spend my time inside learning my trade. It's...something I enjoy doing." Lucas explained.

"Of course, but when's the last time you  _really_  touched excitement? Something that made your heart race, and made your hair stand on end?" Ness inquired.

Lucas thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. Unable to find an answer, he nodded, "I see what you mean. Continue."

"I'm just thinkin', what's the point? I mean, I  _want_  to be alive, but I wanna contribute something. I wanna  _be_  someone." Ness said, leaning forwards and resting his chin in his hands.

"You're young! Why do you care so much, you're not even twenty yet!" Lucas said.

"Well, look at you! You're not even nineteen yet, and you're about to lead the kingdom."

"It hasn't exactly been a bumpy ride for me to get where I am, though."

Ness stubbornly looked away, drawing his finger through the grass below him. Lucas drew his knees to his chest. There was a brief moment of silence.

"Ness," Lucas began out of curiosity, "What  _is_  it you want to do? To contribute?"

The newsboy wavered with his answer. He seemed embarrassed to say it. After a few moments, he replied, "...A tailor. I want to work with clothes."

"Fascinating. Are you any good at it?" Lucas asked.

"Well, that  _was_  my father's occupation. I supposed I picked up a thing or two when we still had the shop." Ness said, shrugging.

"Your father..." Lucas murmured, "...Did he lose his business?"

"Well, uh...sorta. He died." Said Ness. Lucas blinked.

"...I see." He replied, off-put by Ness' seemingly indifferent tone of voice, "That'll...that'll do it for you, I suppose..." Lucas shifted a bit uncomfortably, "Ness, forgive me, but I hardly know anything about you. It feels odd, having someone who's practically an expert on all things me, but I don't know a single thing about you."

Ness scrunched up his face a bit, giving a disinclined glance, "Trust me, I'm not exactly an int'resting person. What would I even tell?"

"Oh, I don't know, go from the beginning. What's your story, how did you get where you are?" Lucas asked, sitting on his knees and politely intertwining his fingers, placing his hands in his lap. Ness hesitated for several more seconds. Lucas feared for a moment that he had pushed too much, but was relieved when Ness smiled and took a deep breath in.

"It's a simple story, really. My  _real_  mum died when giving birth to me, on a boat. My father raised me by himself for a few years, before meeting the mother I grew up with. They formed a tailor's shop together, got us a decent place to live, and I even got a new baby sister," Ness recited, looking down at the grass fondly, "That all stopped when my new mum died, though. She passed from a fire that set the shop ablaze, and we didn't have enough money to get it back."

"Lord..." Lucas put a hand to his mouth gently, shocked by the tragic story. Ness continued.

"A few more years, and my father ends up having to sell my sister off to some higher up family in another country, to give her a better life. Couldn't sell me, though, no one ever wants the older kids. So, he began to pass down his duties of the job he had at the time, which was the lamplighter. By the time I was fourteen, I'd completely taken over the role. We worked so hard every day, to try and raise enough to get that store back. But...he passed on from illness. I've been living on my own ever since, and that brings me to where I am now."

Lucas stared in awe and sympathy at his friend, whose neutral expression was replaced with a slightly troubled one. Lucas reached forward and put a hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry, truly. It must've been hard losing him." He said.

"Well, it definitely hurt, but...he lived a happy life, yeah? When he died, it was slow and peaceful, and he wasn't afraid. I hope that when I die one day, I face it head on, with wide open eyes and the same bravery as he did. I h'aint givin' death the satisfaction of seeing fear." Ness explained, his voice low.

Understandable, Lucas thought. He couldn't help but admire Ness' strange, but thoughtful words. Come to think of it, he'd never met someone with such an upside-down way of thinking, yet it all made complete sense. They continued to sit in silence on the grassy clifftop. Lucas, at this point, had completely forgotten his fear, and the steep drop below him felt harmless. He'd never felt so at ease in his entire life. He turned towards Ness.

"We should make this our place." He said.

"Pardon?" Ness asked.

"You know our 'place'. Our meeting place. Where we'll go to escape." Lucas prompted. He gestured to the area behind him, which led into the forest covering the massive hill they had climbed. Ness eyed him both playfully and endeared.

"If you're alright with climbing up what is almost a mountain, I'll take you up on that offer. This'll be our...let's call it a san-chuary. _"_

"A _sanctuary?"_ Lucas corrected, "I like it." He held out his hand, as prompting Ness to sign a contract. Ness gave a somewhat playful look, before cupping a hand towards his mouth and promptly spitting into his palm. He held his hand out towards Lucas, who reeled back a bit.

"We're in my world, we shake on it  _my_  way." Ness smirked, softly jerking his head towards Lucas to instruct him to do the same thing. Lucas, eyes wide, ignored the sudden tingling in his hands.

"Well, alright then. I'll have you know, I am a master of...saliva based agreements." Lucas informed, trying as hard as he could not to sound like he was lying. He brought his hand to his mouth and attempted to spit into it, but nothing came out. He took a moment, trying to build up fluid in his mouth, while Ness simply watched him with an amused grin. Lucas tried again, but failed to properly project, and simply ended up spraying his entire hand. Ness rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Good enough." He said. Before Lucas could react, Ness gripped his hand and shook it. Lucas instantly squirmed as he felt the wetness touch his palm. Ness snickered at the Prince's discomfort, "Our place?"

"Y-yes!" Lucas replied once they let go, and began to try and nonchalantly wipe his hand on the grass, "Our place! Our sanctuary."

* * *

Claus had already recognized the rushed footsteps of his brother before he even saw him. He sat within the library, at a desk, a single open book placed in front of him. With one hand propping his head up and the other placed on the wooden table, fingers tapping, he mindlessly let his eyes scan the pages. His attention wasn't deterred as Lucas appeared from behind a case and hastily scrambled to the desk, half falling, half jumping to grab onto its edge to keep his balance. Claus, not looking up from his book, smirked, as Lucas struggled to catch his breath.

"Please refrain from breaking any bones. I'm off duty today, and I'd like to spend it in peace." Claus murmured. Lucas quickly fixed his posture, tidied up his hair, and sat down across from his twin. When Lucas didn't say anything, Claus looked up and noticed that he was focused on the floor, a small smile playing on his face. Claus raised an eyebrow, "I take it you enjoyed yourself."

"Hmm...?" Lucas glanced up, broken from his trance, "O-oh, yes! Yes, absolutely."

"That's it? You don't want to tell me  _all about it_  like you normally do?" Claus teased. Lucas shifted uncomfortably and didn't answer. Claus sighed, "Oh no."

"It wasn't anything bad!" Lucas assured, raising his hands in defense.

"Then you shouldn't be afraid to tell me, yes?" Claus asked. Lucas pouted.

"Fine, then. I, uh..." Lucas paused, "... _Might_  have traveled outside of city limits."

" _Lucas..._ " Claus muttered, "This is the first time I actively help you sneak out, and you leave the village altogether? I don't know what I was thinking. What even  _was_  I thinking in the first place? Soon enough, you'll be off outside of  _Dragonstep_ , and you'll end up like-"

"Yes, yes, I _know_ , I've heard it a thousand times from both you  _and_  Dad. I'll end up like the  _murdered Princess of Magicant_ , or the _lost Prince of Eagleland._ " Lucas relayed the same message he'd been given hundreds of times before.

"Exactly! That prince was taken  _right_  after he left his kingdom!" Claus insisted.

"He was a  _baby_ , and the ship crashed, for heaven's sake! I am not a  _newborn_ , Claus." Replied Lucas, reaching across the table to put a hand on his brother's arm to reassure him. Claus' body relaxed, but his troubled eyes stayed the same.

"I don't want to have the same argument we keep having daily, so I'll drop it." Claus decided, "But try to keep yourself from appearing in the next history book. 'The Disappearance of the Prince of Dragonstep'. Excerpt one: 'He was a bloody idiot who didn't listen to his wise brother's warnings, and that's it. That's how he went missing'. The whole chapter won't even be half a page long."

" _Must_  you draw things out to be completely out of proportion?" Lucas muttered, massaging his temple, "Fine, I'll keep myself in city range."

"That's all I ask. Leaving the town is  _never_  a good idea, even _I_  don't do it unless I have to. You never know what's out there." Claus said.

' _If only you knew the wonderful things I saw today._ ' Lucas thought, struggling not to speak his mind. Claus caught sight of his disappointed face and nudged him a bit.

"Now that all that's out of the way, I can discuss with you the general topic at hand." He said.

"Oh, that's right, you called me here to talk about something. What is it?" Asked Lucas. Claus closed his book and joined his hands.

"As you know, father will be coming back in a few days. And when he does, he wants to immediately begin his work."

"On what?"

"On your...ahem,  _marital situation._ "

"Are you kidding me?" Lucas asked, "Does he not understand that love takes time? I just haven't found the right girl yet, is all."

"Frankly, at this point, I don't think he cares," Claus pressed his lips into a thin line, and took a deep inhale, "...He's fallen ill. We just received word today."

Lucas only stared back at him, going completely quiet. Heart heavy, he sat back in his seat as his gaze slowly drifted to the table. Voice soft and hesitant, he replied, "...I see."

"The time is  _now_. By this time next week, he'll have had every town crier and newsboy relaying the news. There's to be an event in which royalty and high class from all surrounding kingdoms will be invited." Claus explained. Lucas rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what his father was planning. He hid his face in his hands in defeat.

"Oh no, tell me he  _didn't..._ " Lucas pleaded.

"I'm very certain he did, I'm afraid. He made it very clear that if you weren't going to find anyone, he'd do it for you." Claus reminded. Lucas replied by letting his head fall to the desk, as he groaned in frustration.

"What if I don't even like her? What if she doesn't like me? I don't want her to be miserable!"

"That's sadly just how things are in our cruel, cruel world." Claus murmured sympathetically, shaking his head. He got up from his spot and pushed in the chair, "You know, you could end up liking her. Who knows? Maybe she's the one."

"Maybe so." Lucas sighed to himself, at Claus left the room. As he sat alone among the endless books, he struggled to push away the anxiety that nipped at him. He looked down at his hands, narrowing his eyes. ' _What on Earth is wrong with you, Lucas? Why is this hard for you?_ ' He thought. He got to his feet and took a moment to preen himself, and left.

Although Lucas went on with the rest of his day in a bad mood upon hearing the upsetting news, there was a flicker in the back of his mind that kept him excited. He had kept something from Claus, as he knew that if he let him know what it was, Claus would most likely lose his mind. He and Ness had agreed to meet again, but in very different circumstances. As he traversed through the halls, he peeked out of every window he passed, seeing that the sun was beginning to drop. He fidgeted excitedly. He found himself begging for the sun to set faster.

" _Come on, moon, raise already..._ " He thought, " _Ness already showed me around his world. It's only fair I show him mine._ "

* * *

Lucas' only source of warmth that night was the inside of the horse's stables and his black hood. He sat quietly in the dusty room, which was lit by a single torch in the back corner. Every so often, his head would nod and his eyes would begin to close, but he'd always snap awake either by nearing falling over or getting startled by a horse gently nickering to him nearby. As crickets chirped and the night air grew colder, Lucas considered simply going back inside. However, he forced himself to stay. He had to.

Each twig snap and rustle of leaves turned his head, and each time, he saw nothing. He pulled his coat tighter over himself and shivered against the cold. He scanned the surrounding forest for any sign of movement, but all he saw were silhouetted branches.

' _Perhaps this is a lost cause.._.' He thought, looking back to the tempting interior of his home. He frowned, deciding that it would be best to just go inside.

As he began to stand up, he looked back to the forest one last time.

" _Jesus...!_ " He gasped, staggering back several steps. Just a few paces away was another hooded figure, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Lucas put a hand to his chest to catch his breath, and took a moment to calm one of the spooked horses. Lucas sighed, "You know, Ness, a ' _hello_ ' would have sufficed."

The figure flipped back the hood, revealing himself to be Ness. He walked into the light of the stables, hugging himself to shield away the cold.

"I-I wasn't sure if it was you or not! From a distance, it's easy to mistake you for your brother, and he  _terrifies_  me." Ness explained, rubbing his hands together. Lucas rolled his eyes.

"That boy scares everyone but me." Lucas murmured playfully, "I'm relieved you actually came, I was starting to think that maybe you'd..."

"Are you kidding? As if I'd miss this. I'm not even allowed _near_  this place." Said Ness.

"Exactly, which is why you need to keep quiet," Lucas grinned and motioned for his friend to follow, "If anyone found out you were here, we both would be in serious trouble."

"That makes it more exciting." Whispered Ness, as he carefully followed Lucas back through the warm stables.

Lucas led him to the back corner and stopped in front of the divot in the stone wall. He stopped to think for a moment, before turning to Ness and placing both hands on his shoulders, then his waist. Ness, put off and confused by his friend's actions, simply stood still and let it happen. Lucas then looked down at himself and put his hands on his own waist, then his own shoulders. He turned back to the corner and observed it for a while.

"...Are you not well?" Ness finally asked, voice still hushed.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I've just never brought anyone else through here. I'm not sure how well you'll fit." Lucas murmured.

"Lucas, in the past three days, I've ingested nothin' but two stale biscuits and half a jar of water from the Dragonstep river. I think I'll fit." Ness said. Without warning, he pressed himself against the wall and began to slide his way in effortlessly.

"Ness...! Wait up!" Lucas followed quickly. Ness hadn't been kidding; his body was so painfully thin that he slipped through the tight tunnel with ease. Although Ness was taller, Lucas was definitely broader and well built. He hadn't realized just how much Ness was being affected by his literal starvation. His thoughts were diverted, however, when light from ahead told him that they were close. He sped up to keep up with Ness, until finally, the two boys squeezed their way out of the opening, now surrounded by a relieving wide space. Lucas stood up straight and massaged his shoulders, which ached from being pressed up against two walls, "I don't even want to  _think_  about the day I eventually get stuck in that place..." He muttered.

When he received no answer, he looked up. Just paces ahead of him, Ness stood completely still, looking up at what was around him in complete and utter disbelief. He marveled at every floor tile and wall moulding, eyes wide and mouth open in awe. Lucas watched him, amused, as he simply stood there and looked around. Ness reached up to take off his hat and run a hand through his hair.

"Golly Moses..." He mumbled. Upon noticing Lucas walk up beside him, he looked at him and grinned, "I h'aint never seen nothin' like this! I mean, look at this! Lookit how high the  _ceiling_  is! Is it legal to have a ceiling that high up?"

Lucas snickered, tilting his head to the side in slight confusion, "...Dear lord, I  _hope_  it is."

He followed Ness, who padded to one of the hallway windows.

"I didn't even know they could make sheets of glass this big," Ness admitted, "Look at that, it almost reaches the ceiling!"

"Come this way; I'm sure you'll find the upper levels to be more interesting." Lucas said, shrugging his shoulder to beckon his friend along. Ness nodded enthusiastically and jogged after him, lightly stepping to make sure he made no noise. After practically racing each other up a flight of stairs, Lucas dragged Ness to the nearest window, and pointed, "Now look at _this._ "

"Oh look, it's the village!" Ness said, delighted by the window's view.

"How is it you're so fascinated by this, but you ' _can't find beauty_ ' in it when you can see the whole thing from the sanctuary?" Asked Lucas.

"Because I'm lookin' at it from  _here_. I've wanted to take even just one step in this place ever since I was a child." Ness replied, "Just being here makes me feel important."

"It does give you a sense of pride, doesn't it?" Lucas agreed, watching as Ness wandered around some more.

Ness eventually stopped when he faced the wall behind him, "Oh, lookit that! That's you, ain't it?"

"Hm?" Lucas turned. He smiled when he saw that Ness was pointing at a small, framed oil painting behind them. The painting displayed four people; Lucas, Claus, their father, and their mother. Lucas' eyes immediately shifted to himself. The younger Lucas was positioned next to his brother, his hand rested on top of Claus'. Both brothers had subtle, but genuine smiles. Behind them, their parents seemed just as happy. Lucas observed the artist's recreation of his mother. Each brush stroke was so masterful, it looked like she was there in real life. A warm sense of familiarity filled his chest. Lucas grinned, "Oh, that. I like this painting."

"It looks so realistic!" Ness breathed, " _Look_  at you! With your little hands and your little tiny face. When was this done, a week or so ago?"

Lucas playfully elbowed his arm, rolling his eyes, "Very funny. I was nine."

"So about a week or so ago?" Ness smirked.

"Will you  _stop?_ " Lucas pretended to sound irritated, but couldn't hide his amusement, and Ness' infectious laughter eventually made him cave in. Lucas sighed, "This was done around eleven years ago if I remember correctly."

"Did you have to sit there for hours?" Ness asked.

"It took three days." Lucas said, "Claus and I kept trying to make each other break, I remember."

"He's still scary, even as a little boy." Said Ness, shivering, "And there's Her Majesty...you're a lot like she was, now that I think of it. Always so excited to know her people. She cared about us so much. You know, I remember when she would come to the village almost every day, just to be among us. I never met her, but she was always around."

"I remember that, I always wanted to go along with her! She wanted to bring me along, but of course, my father had to come and step in. It's sad, really, I never got to spend enough time with her," Lucas said, "This painting is all I really have left."

"I think it's a nice way to remember her," Said Ness. He looked to his right and spotted a line of several other portraits of other families across the wall. His eyes widened, "Goodness, there's so many! Why do you have all these pictures of other people?"

"It's considered respectful to acknowledge other royal families by keeping a painting of them. These are other families from several neighboring kingdoms. See, this one is the family from the kingdom of Osohe, over here is Dalaam, Saturn Valley...I've met most of them, all are very lovely people." Lucas explained as Ness observed each painting. Each picture displayed a different family, all seeming to be just as happy as the rest.

Ness observed each one carefully, but his interest was peaked by a few that looked different. He approached one that obviously pictured a King and his Queen, but no children were present. Lucas noticed his curiosity.

"That," Said Lucas, "Is what's left of Magicant's royal family."

"Where'd the rest of it go?"

"They had a daughter. But Magicant's King was a cruel person, and not too many people took a liking to him. At one point, he sentenced an innocent woman to death, and this caused an outcry. The Princess was captured from her home and killed right in front of him."

"Oh," Ness murmured, "How sad..."

"It's more common than you think. A lot of these portraits are missing their heirs." Lucas said, gesturing to the others.

"I never really thought about how dangerous being a Prince is." Said Ness.

"It's why I'm not allowed to be outside on my own. My father says that I could end up like  _these_  guys."

Lucas led Ness to the very last framed canvas at the end of the dark hallway. Ness froze, and a shiver went up his spine. There was a frame and a crest, but there was no canvas inside. He glanced at Lucas solemnly.

"What happened here?" Ness asked.

"It's a sad story; a very sad story. This was supposed to display the royal family of Eagleland; it's a country across the sea from us. The Queen had just given birth to a son, and not even a month later, the family was invited to attend my mother's coronation. So, we sent a ship to get them. But during their travels, a storm struck, and the ship was destroyed." Lucas said, recalling the tale he'd heard many times.

"I'm guessing there were no survivors..." Ness murmured.

"Not quite. Both the King and Queen sadly perished, as well as the majority of the crew. However, some survived. This being some hospital staff, the royal adviser, and the Prince," Lucas continued, "They managed to stay afloat on the wreckage. However, the surviving staff said that when they awoke the next day, they found both the adviser and the newborn Prince gone."

"Good lord," Ness whispered.

"Mmhmm. The only reason they aren't considered 'dead' is because their bodies weren't found, while everyone else's was. Also, neither suffered critical damage. The adviser only received head trauma, while the Prince was struck upside the face by a metal bar. It wasn't anything serious. So for now, until evidence of their deaths are found, both the adviser and the Prince are considered missing."

"How very tragic..." Said Ness, resting a hand on the empty picture frame.

There was a long period of silence. Lucas noticed his friend's clearly troubled facial expression.

' _What on Earth am I doing? I just made the happiest night of his life all sad.'_  He thought in frustration. In an attempt to cheer him up, Lucas smirked and tugged at his sleeve, "Hey, no use in being a downer. Come, I want to show you my favourite part of the whole castle."

Ness' face instantly lightened up, as Lucas took his hand and excitedly began to lead him through several other corridors and rooms. Ness followed, nearly tripping at every sharp turn they took and keeping one hand clamped on his hat to keep it from flying off.

"You have a favourite part?" He asked.

"Of course I do!" Lucas replied, as he began to slow down before a large set of double doors, "You think the  _hallways_  are big? Check this out."

With a grunt, Lucas pushed himself against the wooden doors, which gave way after a moment into a seemingly pitch black room. He gestured for Ness to follow. Ness obliged, tentatively walking through the threshold into a suddenly cold area. Lucas let the door fall closed behind them, shrouding both in darkness. The sound of the door closing echoed for several seconds. The only light was that of the moon from outside, which was clearly visible through another set of large windows. As Ness' eyes adjusted, he slowly began to realize where he was. He walked forwards and set his hands on a banister. Below him was possibly the largest room he'd ever seen, covered front to back with a polished, marble flooring. He gasped.

"This...This is the assembly hall!" He realized.

"The correct term is a 'ballroom', but yes. This is basically where any big scale events are held. Come this way," Lucas once again took Ness' hand and led him away from the banister, and down a nearby set of stairs, which led to the floor of the empty space. Ness marveled at just how massive the scale of the room was, nearly falling backwards when looking up. Lucas watched, amused. He looked around the moonlight lit hall, placing both hands behind his back, "Claus and I would often sneak down here at night as children, and practice things like mannerisms and proper partner dance for when we were older. Honestly, I've never had a dance partner as aggressive as my brother. He'd force me to be the girl every time."

"Are you any good at it?" Asked Ness, laughing.

"It's important that I am. I can't show up to an event and be completely clueless when I'm paired up with someone." Lucas explained.

"I've never understood dance, it looks  _incredibly_  hard." Ness muttered, stretching his arms above his head.

"What? Nonsense, it's basically just walking. Here, let me show you. Stand here," Lucas took Ness by the arms and led him forwards, so that they were facing each other. Ness, caught by surprise, simply let his friend guide him. Lucas took both of his hands, "Alright, so you want to stop slouching, chin up, and you want your feet to slightly stagger across from mine."

"A-alright, staggered..." Ness murmured, looking down to plant his feet firmly on the ground.

"Now, you'll take this hand, and put it behind your back, like so," Lucas said, demonstrating by placing a bent arm behind his back. Ness mirrored his action, and Lucas nodded, "There! Now, if you were a middle or lower class citizen attending a formal, then you would perform this the traditional way. Your hand would be placed here, on my waist, instead. But, seeing that I am royalty, keep it behind your back for now. When you lead by your partner's waist, it displays a sense of affection or passion."

"I see, okay..." Ness replied, seeming genuinely interested in what he was learning, "What about the other hand?"

"Hold it up at your side, face up, and I will place my hand upon your own." Lucas rested his hand gently in the palm of Ness', "This is where you lead from. You lead simply with a slight pull, so I'll know where to go."

"But what if  _I_  don't know where to go?" Ness asked, laughing softly.

"That's simple. Just follow  _my_  lead for now." Lucas suggested, "It's quite easy, really. Step, step, touch. Step, step, touch. Step..."

Slowly, Lucas led his friend through a simple box step. Ness struggled at first, forgetting which foot went where, but it didn't take long for him to successfully copy Lucas' movements. He spent the whole time staring down at the floor, murmuring the same three words to himself over and over again.

"Step, step, touch. Step, step, touch. Step, st... _cripes._ " Ness cursed as he stumbled, and laughed it off. Lucas snickered and squeezed his hand.

"No, don't cuss yourself, that was good! You're a fast learner, actually. Very impressive. You should've seen how many times I tripped over my own feet when my mother first taught me." He said.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad. What is this you've taught me, a  _Wutz_ , yes?" Ness asked.

"Actually, it's called a ' _Waltz_ ', but you were close. There's plenty of variations on it, but this one is the most traditional in royal events."

"My parents used to do that all the time! They used to do this thing where..." Ness stopped and narrowed his eyes as he looked his friend up and down. He thought for a moment, "Are you light enough to lift up, I wonder?"

Lucas' eyes widened, and he shook his head, flustered, "Oh, trust me, I'm average weight. I'm afraid you'd drop me the minute you- _eeaahh!_ " Lucas let out a shriek of surprise, for Ness had fastened his hands under his arms and easily lifted him, barely breaking a sweat. When Lucas felt his feet touch the ground again, he kept his hand gripping Ness' shoulder, still shaken.

"' _You'll drop me_ ', he says." Ness teased, clearly proud of himself. Lucas couldn't contain his sudden fit of giggling.

"You're strong!" Lucas breathed.

"I climb lampposts for a living. Strong arms are sort of required." Replied Ness, crossing his arms confidently, "Anyways, you'll probably want to scream again, I don't think the villagers on the  _outskirts of the country_ heard you."

"Oh, stick a match in it. I can teach you the harder stuff later." Lucas muttered playfully, lightly shoving him away. The two shared a moment of laughter, before Lucas turned a spotted the window directly behind them. He brushed a bit of hair out of his face and approached it, once again looking out. Ness joined him at his side. Lucas dreamily admired the glowing lights lining every road, as he did every night. He sighed in relaxation, "You do such a good job with those lamps, you know."

"Ah, geez. You're too kind." Ness said dismissively.

"No, really! T-to be honest, um..." Lucas hesitated, embarrassed, "...I've actually been watching you light them every night ever since I was a young boy. Up from my bedroom window."

"Truly?"

"Yes. I'm only just now realizing how odd and creepy that sounds, heh..." Lucas whispered, "...See, the skies are always too cloudy or bright to see the stars. So when I was younger, I'd wish on streetlamps instead. I haven't missed them, not a single night. Looks like you and I were already connected before we met!"

"Wow, that's...quite fascinating. You know me, the know-it-all biggest fan. If I'd known this earlier, I would've dropped dead on the spot." Ness stammered, visibly bashful.

"Oh, please. You couldn't have thought I was _that_  great."

"No, I did. I really did. I still do, actually..." Ness admitted, "...You...you would really wish upon them?"

"Always." Lucas nodded, "...And the wish came true."

"Really?"

"Yes. I wish for excitement, for something new. Something, or...some _one_  to cherish." Lucas explained, "And whoever lives up there, whether it be God or someone else, well...they gave me you."

Ness said nothing. He blinked, stunned, before sheepishly turning away. He tried to say something, but no words formed. He simply looked down at the floor, shifting on his feet.

Lucas smiled, "You know, you should wish for something. It's obvious they work."

"...Yeah?" Ness asked, peering back at him. He then shrugged and shook his head, "...No need."

"Why not?" Lucas replied, confused.

"Because what's the point of wishing for something,  _or_  someone, that already came true?"

Ness' words sent both a shiver and warmth through Lucas. He shared a thankful glance with Ness, and both boys smiled. Both too flustered to say anything else, they each turned back to the window and rested their gaze on the city below them.


	3. The Kiss That Meant Everything

Ness visited several times after that night. It became common for Lucas to hear scratching outside his bedroom window, and look up in time to see the lamplighter clinging onto a pine tree just outside. It became safe to assume that Lucas' home had become Ness' in a sense. Neither boy was opposed to this, as they enjoyed getting to spend so much time together. However, it was the constant hiding that they disliked. With Lucas constantly having to be in several places throughout the day, as his days grew busier, it became difficult for Ness to successfully make his way in and out of the building. Several members of the castle staff, and most of all, Claus, became incredibly suspicious with Lucas' sudden secretive behaviour. However, seeing as Lucas had been sneaking off less and less, Claus didn't question it. Perhaps his brother had simply matured in the past many weeks.

With the return of Lucas' father and the day of his eventual engagement approaching, Lucas cherished every bit of Ness' support. On one night, as he folded a frock coat he'd worn earlier, he only payed half attention to what he was doing. He patiently listened, the only noise being the shifting of fabric. He continued to disrobe himself and fold up the articles, before donning a loose set of nightclothes. Slowly, the minutes ticked away on the clock nearby. As he closed the door to his wardrobe, he held his breath, and waited.

As if on cue, three short knocks sounded from the wooden draws over the window.

Lucas grinned, and promptly approached it, and replying with two knocks of his own, signaling that it was him answering. Quickly, he undid the latch, and pushed the draws away with a grunt. As he expected, he looked up to see his familiar friend, arms wrapped around the trunk of the close pine. Ness, who was clearly shaken by the height he was at, nervously looked up, smiled, and saluted in greeting.

"Sire." He breathed with a nod of his head.

"You might want to try and find a better way of getting in," Lucas replied, reaching over to grab hold of Ness' arms and helping him crawl his way through the window, "The day will eventually come when you'll break a leg or two."

"But I'll have broken 'em trying to get to you, of course," Ness said, "Besides, this here is the quickest way."

Once Ness had stumbled to his feet safely on the wooden floor, Lucas replied, "Yes, but look at you. People are going to start mistaking you for a pine tree, with the amount of needles in that hair of yours."

"Hm?" Ness felt the top of his head, which was indeed filled with several pine needles, "Oh, h'aint a problem."

"And your hands, look at them! All scraped up from climbing that trunk. Where are your gloves?" Lucas observed, taking Ness' hands in his own and inspecting them.

"Lost 'em to a dog. S'alright, of course they look like that to you. Look at yours."

Lucas examined his own hand as well. Ness was right. Compared to Ness' hands, which were roughed up and calloused, Lucas' fingers were noticeably thinner and more dainty.

"Hmm. I see your point. You win." He agreed. Ness nodded, satisfied, but suddenly gasped quietly.

"Oh! Oh, wait a minute, I had somethin'..." He murmured, beginning to search through his pockets.

"Of what sort?"

"Well, um...let's just say," Ness finally clasped his fingers around what he was looking for, "It's for you."

"For me...?" Lucas whispered, as he cupped his hands to catch what Ness tossed to him. He examined what it was, using the moon as his light source. The object gleamed in his palm. He tipped his head to the side, "Forgive me, but...I can't seem to make out what it is. It's too dark."

"Um...here, come here..." Ness led him to a table in the back corner, where a collection of candles sat. He struck a match and lit several of the candles, before guiding Lucas to hold the small object up to the light. He seemed nervous and embarrassed with his movements.

"Ah..." Lucas studied it, now that he could see it clearly. It was a nearly expertly crafted , broken off piece of what used to be either a brooch, or something similar. The piece was made up of beautifully curved and shaped golden metal. From what Lucas could see, it wasn't real gold, but he still admired the artifact, "How interesting!"

"I know it h'aint really spectackalar," Ness admitted, taking off his hat bashfully, "But you mentioned your favourite colour was yellow, and when I saw that on the ground, well...y'know, it's yellow and all. I know it's just a broken piece of some kind of bracelet or something, but..." Ness trailed off.

"Well, that's very sweet." Lucas said, "Now you've got me feeling guilty! I owe you back."

"W-what? No, c'mon, you don't owe me anything, it's a piece of metal I found outside a Jeweler's store."

"But you thought of me when you saw it, I..." Lucas paused, a light going off in his head, "Actually, come to think of it, I coincidentally have something for you as well."

Ness raised an eyebrow, "Oh, do you?"

"Mmmmmhm. Come along." Lucas took hold of the candle and put the other hand on Ness' arm, and guided him to the far back corner of the room, back near the window. Ness looked at him in confusion, as he was led to a large wooden desk. Lucas had a smile on his face, and seemed calmed by the polished oak wood. He excitedly presented it with his hand, "Here we are!"

"...A table?" Ness asked, puzzled.

"A _desk_ , actually."

"Okay, they're the same thing," Said Ness, "D-don't get me wrong, it's very pretty, and I'm very grateful, but...i-it's a desk." He repeated.

"Not just any desk." Lucas said, setting the candle on its top, "Look closer."

Ness squinted, observing it closely. He ran a hand on it's surface, expecting to feel smoothness, but was confused to feel several notches and divots. Upon inspecting it closer, he realizes that etched into the face were numbers, measurements, and other markings. He'd seen this type of desk before, and had spent a good portion of his childhood working at one.

"This...this is a tailor's desk, isn't it?" He gasped, suddenly recognizing the artifact. Lucas nodded.

"Custom crafted, too. See," Lucas began, "When you're born into a royal family, the clothing you wear through your life is made shortly after you're born, not as you grow, and is traditionally crafted by either the Queen, or the ladies in waiting. So the clothing you see me wear was made about eighteen years ago."

"An... _odd_  tradition." Ness replied.

"Quite. Anyways, my mother was the one who crafted them. While my father was off doing whatever he did, she'd be in here, at this desk. We kept it in here because me and my brother used to share this room, and she'd be able to keep an eye on us while she worked. After she passed, well...we never moved it, and it's been here ever since." Lucas finished, placing his hands behind his back.

"And you want me to have it?"

"I haven't any use for it; I don't sew. If you're going to be a tailor when you're older, you'd better have the practice, right? And this whole thing is stocked full of pretty much any fabric that exists, needles, thread, shears, the whole shebang. Maybe you could stock up, and you can get your shop back, yeah?"

Ness blinked, stunned. He laughed, half out of shock, half out of nervousness.

"This is... _unbelievable,_ " He murmured, "I really can use this?"

"Whenever you're here, of course. Mum wouldn't have wanted it to just gather dust. She'd want it to be put to good use."

"I can make clothes again!" Ness cried, quickly shrinking back upon realizing his volume, "I-I really don't know what to say,  _t-thank_  you, Your 'ighness..."

"Not to worry." Lucas shrugged, unable to keep the grin from his face. Ness almost resembled a young child with how excited he looked. He hid his face in his hands, overwhelmed by his friend's gift.

"Now I wish I could just... _live_  here!" Ness breathed.

"You know I'd let you if I could." Lucas replied sympathetically, "But the constant hiding, the constant secrets? It can't be done."

"But it could! If only I was just-" Ness paused.

Lucas eyed him, concerned. Ness looked to the floor as if he were in deep thought. Lucas could see gears turning in his mind. He almost began to say something, but Ness spoke before he could.

"If only I was just...higher class, per se?" He smirked, "If I recall correctly...when you and I first met weeks ago, you created a persona of sorts. You gave this persona a certain  _job_...a job you  _knew_  didn't exist, so that I didn't know it was you, yes?"

Lucas almost instantly caught on to what he was implying. He playfully rolled his eyes, " _Mon dieu..._ "

"Nonono, just hear me out! Lucas, think of it!" Ness insisted, "Your day of inheriting the throne draws closer and closer every day. Why, a boy your age can only handle so much. Soon enough, your days will be so packed full, that you may just crack under the pressure, no? It's almost as if you could use...well,  _assistance._ "

"Ness..." Lucas said.

"I'm sure there's a name for that kind of position. It's on the tip of my tongue. C'mon, help me. What's the word I'm lookin' for? Someone who assists another..." Said Ness, pretending to look thoughtful, "Oh yes, an assistant. There's something you could use, yes? Now the only problem here is  _who_. It needs to be someone dedicated. Someone who cares for you, and someone who wouldn't mind spending almost every waking moment by your side." Ness finished his tangent, planting his feet directly beside Lucas, and promptly draping an arm on his shoulder. Lucas tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't help but burst into a fit of snickering.

"Are you basically asking me to give you a job?" Lucas asked.

"Well, when you say it like _that..._ " Ness replied, "But really, think about it! I could freely walk around this place, and no one would bat an eye! I don't have to hide anymore! And we can be around each other without drawing any suspicion! It's the perfect plan."

"It is a good plan, yes, but..." Lucas trailed off, "Oh, it just wouldn't work."

"Why not?"

"Um...well, please don't take this the wrong way. I'm saying this as nicely as I can. But there's one big problem with this whole thing, and that problem is..." Lucas hesitated, wondering how to approach it without disastrous results, "...You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Or, more specifically, the way you speak. And dress. And act. And look. N-not that any of that is bad, you're perfect the way you are!" Lucas assured, guilty from the fact that Ness looked absolutely crushed, "It's just...when the position of a right hand assistant still existed, it was reserved for those of higher class. And seeing as...you're  _not_ , they'd just make you leave. 'They', being my father."

"Ah." Ness nodded, "I see, alright, um...well, what does he know? I could be high class. I can be  _bourj-wah-zee._ " Ness protested.

"Bourgeoisie?" Lucas corrected.

"Yes!" Ness replied, "I can...I can...be proper, and weak, and prissy, like you."

"...Y-yes, of course, ' _prissy.'_ " Lucas said, put off by the remark.

"Can't be all that hard! All I have to do is just  _talk a little different_ , is all!" In his last sentence, Ness smoothed out his voice and spoke in a much cleaner, proper accent. Lucas noticed this, and perked up.

"Wait, do that again." Lucas instructed.

"Do what?" Ness asked, still speaking in the controlled demeanor.

"That! What you just did! You changed your voice," Lucas said, "...Actually, you've just given me an idea."

"That's the spirit. Tell me!"

"Being perceived as a superior is much more than just your way of speaking. Like I said, it's all about how you look, act, and dress, as well. So here's what I'm thinking. I'll just...teach you! We'll just get you to stand up straight," Lucas tapped the back of his friend's neck, causing him to straighten his posture instinctively, "Feet no more than shoulder width apart, arms at your sides, chin up..."

"Alright, I can do all that." Ness said, as Lucas continued to poke and prod at his body, making adjustments where he needed to. He winced, as his spine was beginning to ache.

"Then you're already halfway there! I know it kinda hurts, so you can wear a brace, as I did..."

"There's a _brace?_ "

"To keep your posture straight, yes," Lucas continued, "There! Nice and poised."

" _Easy as pie_." Ness grunted, voice audibly strained.

"Now, as for... _this,_ " Lucas gestured to Ness' hair, which was still a disaster, "I can easily fix that myself. I don't mean to brag, but...I cut my own hair.  _And_  my brother's."

"Impressive, but please don't give me...well, whatever _that_  is." Ness teased, gesturing to Lucas' gelled up style.

"Hilarious." Lucas replied, "Anyways, I can also take care of teaching you proper mannerisms, speaking, and we can work on that accent of yours."

"No problem, I can speak wellable." Said Ness, proudly.

"It also means you'll have to stop making up words," Lucas said. He trailed off, and observed his friend more, "As for clothing...I'd give you my own, but anyone would be able to recognize it."

"Hmm..." Ness thought for a moment, before looking back to the corner desk, "...What would a fine gentleman such as myself wear?"

"For you, most likely a typical setup. Dress shirt, vest, frock, cravats, waistcoat, cutaways..."

"Got any sewing patterns?" Ness had already begun to rummage through the desk's drawers.

"Bottom left drawer."

Ness located the drawer and opened it to find several pamphlets. He searched through the pile, before looking through the other cabinets, and finding the collection of fabric rolls. He nodded in satisfaction, and looked back at his friend.

"I can handle the clothing. There's enough fabric stocked in this to last me years." He assured confidently.

"Are you sure? How skilled are you, exactly?" Asked Lucas.

"Just trust me on this. You see this whole ensemble I've got on?" Ness gestured to his own outfit, "I didn't just find it off the street, y'know."

"Oh!" Replied Lucas, shocked, "Very good, okay. Well, then, that should cover just about everything. Give yourself a few weeks, maybe a month or two, and we'll turn you into a new man. Then, we'll go right up to my father, and I'll say: 'This is my new personal assistant. His name is N-'"

When Lucas trailed off, Ness cocked his head to the side, puzzled.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Dear me...your name's lovely, but it definitely isn't upper class. What can we work with?" Lucas began to pace, "Ness. Too simple, too short. And we'll have to come up with a last name, too. Ness...Nes...ley?  _Nesley_ , there we go! That's perfect!"

"Alright, I can deal with that."

"And your last name is "Wyman", right? We're definitely changing that. Your name will be Nesley Sebastian-Pierre." Lucas decided, using the first two names that came to his mind.

"Can we add an 'Esquire' to that?" Asked Ness hopefully.

"If you want to train to be a knight, then sure." Lucas suggested.

"...M-maybe not! Some other Ness can have the 'knight' title." Ness said.

"Good choice," Replied Lucas, "There! All done. We've covered everything. In a few months time, you'll be named my faithful assistant, as ordered by me. You'll have traveled to Dragonstep in search of work, and I heard about you through a servant. That's when I ordered you to visit me, where I then hired you, seeing excellent potential."

"I see no flaws!" Ness said, excited. Lucas held out his hand, and Ness prepared to spit into his own palm, just like before.

"Nuh-uh, wait." Lucas placed his other hand over Ness' mouth, stopping him, "We're in my world, we shake on it  _my_  way. Stand up straight, feet together, left arm behind your back at a right angle, look me in the eye, and grasp my hand with just the right amount of force. You wouldn't want to challenge royalty."

Ness froze up for a moment, still processing the large amount of instructions given to him in almost under a few seconds, before rolling his eyes playfully and following Lucas' instructions.

"Very well." He replied, copying Lucas' demeanor, "Whatever it takes then, young master."

* * *

Lucas glanced up from the photo that was handed to him by his father, Flint, who stood in front of him, waiting for a response. Claus waited just beside him. The painted, photorealistic image depicted a bust shot of a young girl, perhaps sixteen to seventeen years old. Her skin was almost snowy white from a generous amount of white lead smeared over her face. Her eyes were blue and bright, and her hair was styled into neat, golden curls.

"...Princess Natasha." Lucas murmured. Flint nodded.

"Or, as she prefers it, 'Nana', which was her late mother's name." He replied. Lucas bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"She's, uh..." Lucas searched for any word he could, pressured by his father's intimidating presence. But no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't feel anything. "...She's nice."

Behind Flint, Lucas spotted his brother jamming a palm into his forehead in frusturation, and shaking his head. Lucas fought back the urge to sneer.

"Well, at least you feel that." Flint muttered, clearly irritated as well, "Her Highness is a very respectable young lady, and very fit to lead a kingdom, as are you. I've been speaking with her family and advisers recently. We've decided that two young, responsible, and proper heirs would make a fine contribution to both kingdoms. On the night of the next event, you will ask for her hand, thus joining the kingdoms and forming an alliance treaty. Understood?"

"B-but wait, please, if you were to just give me a little more time, father...!" Lucas protested.

"I'm afraid the time is now. Lucas, you are in your prime! You're at a perfect age, and with my days limiting more and more, we must prepare." Flint kept his voice quiet, but firm enough to make his point.

"I...I just don't want to be with someone I'm not in love with." Lucas said. Flint's eyes softened, and he reached across the table to put a hand on his son's arm.

"I know. But this is the life you were born into. Things like this...we simply have to deal with."

"But what about you and Mum? You loved her more than anything! Everything between the two of you was _true!_ Don't you want me to feel that?"

"Of course I do, but your mother was a  _Princess_  when I met her. I was lucky to have fallen in love with royalty. You can't seem to be even the  _slightest_  bit smitten by even the  _scullery maid._ "

Lucas pouted, resting his chin in his palm and peeking out of the window. It was a gray, dreary day, perfectly mirroring how Lucas felt on the inside. Gray and dreary. He knew his father was simply doing what was best for him, and he was trying to appreciate it. But the overwhelming dread of knowing that he wouldn't be able to find a spouse truly meant for him prevented him from accepting it. Flint did seem genuinely sympathetic, he noticed. Even Claus seemed to look the same way.

"Alright." Lucas murmured, "Maybe I'll be fond of her once I meet her."

"That's my boy." Flint bowed his head, "You'll make a fine leader for this country someday."

As he stood up and left the room without another word, Flint set a palm on Lucas' shoulder as he walked past. Claus approached his twin, who sat staring down at the table. He pulled up another chair and placed it just near him, and he sat facing Lucas, who only spared a glance. Claus waited a few seconds, awkwardly fidgeting, before sighing.

"She really is a pretty little thing, isn't she?" Claus said, in an attempt to lighten his brother's spirits.

"Oh, she's _lovely_ , honestly. But I can't see us together." Lucas replied.

"That makes no sense. You think she's attractive, but you aren't attracted?"

"I don't wear a corset, but I can tell when it's poorly made."

"...Fair." Said Claus, who leaned back. He observed the painted portrait of the girl, and smiled, "Well, you're lucky. I think she's stunning."

"Then  _you_  sweep her off her feet instead." Lucas teased.

"Father would skin me alive!" Claus replied, laughing, "Besides, you're the dashing twin with the boyish charm. My duties lie in telling people what to do and killing things."

"And you're _very_  good at it." Lucas said. Claus proudly held his head high.

There was a brief period of silence between the twins. Lucas could see that his brother was dying to say something, but was restraining himself. He mentally crossed his fingers and hoped Claus didn't notice his secretive behaviour recently.

"What's with all the secretive behaviour, recently?"

' _Fils de pute..._ ' Lucas mentally spat, before speaking aloud, "Whatever do you mean?"

All it took was for Claus to raise an eyebrow, and Lucas caved. He laid his head against the table, groaning in frustration.

Lucas sighed, "Was I  _that_  obvious?"

"Quite so, actually," Claus responded, "You're glancing around, as if you're looking for something. You're dismissing. You're stuttering. Look me in the eye, at this moment, and tell me what you're thinking about."

Lucas shivered, upon looking up to meet Claus' gaze. His green eyes were fixated and narrowed, almost stone cold.  
 _  
'Idiot, he's giving me his interrogation look._ ' Lucas thought, knowing that Claus would often question prisoners with the same expression, to get them to spill the beans. His hand gripped into a fist as he was left helpless.

"You never win, Lucas. I always get you to crack." Claus murmured. That was it.

" _Bloody_  hell,  _fine!_ " Lucas cried, unable to keep the eye contact any longer. Claus, though surprised by his brother's use of such words, grinned in satisfaction.

"So?"

"I...!" Lucas paused, "W-well, I'm...considering something."

"And that something is...?"

"I want to hire someone. To the staff. Not just any staff member, though. Father's right, his days won't last forever. Think of how busy I'll be." Lucas explained.

"...Hence, the reason you have a  _Royal Adviser._ " Claus replied, gesturing to himself.

"But cher  _frère_ , you can only do so much! You're  _also_  the Captain of the Royal Guard, Claus. Remember that. What if  _war_ is declared, and you're sent off somewhere else?" Lucas said, emphasizing his voice in a dramatic manner, "Besides, what does an  _Adviser_  do, anyways?  _Advise?_  That's it? Don't you think I'll need a more direct form of assistance? Perhaps...taking the form of an  _assistant?_ "

Claus blinked, unsure of what to say. His eyes trailed away, as he began to think. "Ah, well..." He muttered, "It's highly unlikely war will be declared. But then again, it's not often I get to see you..."

"Yes, exactly!"

"But remember that the position of a right hand assistant hasn't been assigned in ages. Do you even think father would allow it?"

"He will, once he sees who I've got."

"You already have someone in mind? Who?"

"I cannot tell you that yet. You'll know in...let's say, a month. He's a very respeckable young man, however. You'll take quite the liking to him."

"What did you just say?"

" _R-respectable!_  I said respectable!" Lucas hastily assured, rushing to change the subject, "Trust me on this. He's perfect."

"This is coming from  _you_ , Lucas. You and I have very different definitions of 'perfect'. But, I won't stop you. This would be your first time hiring someone yourself. I think father would be pleased to hear that you're beginning to make bigger decisions." Claus said. Lucas felt a wave of relief wash over him. It was rare for his brother to agree with one of his ideas.

"Yes! I'm thrilled that you agree," Lucas replied, excited, "A-alright, then, I'll be off. Off I go, to attend to my duties as a monarch."

Claus watched his twin stand up and approach the door, confused, "Father's home, remember? You haven't got any duties."

" _Personal_  duties!" Lucas explained, as he grabbed his brother, pulled him to his feet, and pushed him towards the door in an attempt to get him to leave. Before he was successful, Claus blocked himself from being pushed out of the room by pressing on either side of the threshold.

"Personal, you say? Lucas, I know you're a growing teenager, and you're curious, but-"

" _Stop talking!_ " Lucas frantically begged, finally managing to push a smug Claus back out into the hallway. "I'm off to speak with someone!" He insisted, with a huff.

"Let me guess, I'm not allowed to know who they are?"

"Yes, so...go walk away, and I'll be walking in the opposite direction. So there." Lucas decided, as he sharply turned and walked away. Claus watched him go, amused.

"I was going to go that way, Lucas. I'm off to the forge." Claus called.

Without saying anything, Lucas simply turned back around, walked back past Claus, and went the other direction, just as he promised. Claus rolled his eyes, before walking away himself.

'' _Eighteen years old', what a joke._ " He thought, ' _Surely, he can't be more than six._ '

* * *

"Alright, let's try this again. ' _Literally'._ "

"Li'chrally."

"Nonono,  _lit-er-ah-lee._ "

"That's what I said! Lit-er-ah-lee.  _Li'chrally._ "

Lucas ran his hands over his face as he continued to pace around his room. Ness was already hard at work, seated at the corner desk, a bundle of navy fabric settled in his lap as he stitched and drew in a repeating, almost machine like motion. Keeping his eyes focused on the hem, refusing to look away, he somehow managed to stay completely focused.

"We can...work on pronunciation later." Lucas decided, "How's the sewing coming along?"

"Gimme another day or two, and it should be done." Ness replied, still not shifting his gaze away.

"Goodness, that was...quick." Lucas said. Compared to his usual unorganized and brash demeanor, Ness was strangely calm and still.

"Three days h'aint  _that_  quick," Ness explained, biting the thread to free it from the finished hem. He lifted his project and inspected it from several angles. From what Lucas could see, there was a visible neckline and sleeve. Ness finally looked up and met his eyes, "Once I trim a little bit, add a little embroidery perhaps, give it a few buttons, couple more notions, then it'll look as posh as the air you breathe."

"I can't believe we're actually going through with this." Lucas breathed, shaking his head, "You really are going to be an aristocrat."

"The first upper class o'ristycat who hasn't got a single shilling to his name." Said Ness, "This is such a scam, I'll practically be Van Trinh at this point."

"Who?" Lucas asked, sitting across from him and crossing one leg over the other.

"Oh, right, you're not poor," Ness teased, resuming his work, "Ninten Thanh-Van Trinh, he's probably the most dangerous thief in this whole country."

"Claus might have mentioned him at some point. What's his story?"

"I don't know much, but I do know that he turned up near the docks when he was an infant. He was found washed up, maybe from a shipwreck or something, so it's safe to assume he came from a different kingdom. I'm not too sure where he grew up, but I do know that nowadays, he's got a whole group of cronies with him that he leads like a pack of dogs." Ness explained.

"And how do you know all this?" Asked Lucas.

"People mistake me for him constantly, so I've heard bits and pieces. See, the thing about Ninten and I is that if you were to look at the two of us side by side, you can barely find a difference. I'm his doppla-ganger, you could say?" Ness said, "I met him when we crossed paths at night. I had just finished lighting the lamps, and he spotted me. The minute he saw my face, he told me to stay where I was, and ran off. Little did I know, he just so happened to be in the middle of a chase with the authorities, and you can see what I'm hinting at."

"Lord, being identical to a wanted criminal must be inconvenient." Lucas guessed.

"Yeah. But I've actually got an agreement going on with the crime inspector. They know it's me and not him because of this," Ness pointed to his jaw, acknowledging the scar that Lucas had always noticed, but never asked about, "If there's no scar, then it's not me, and I stay a free man. It ain't like they can catch him anyways, though. He's fast, he's protected, and  _good lord_ , is he clever."

"Have any clue where he is?"

"If I did, I'd've said so. He never stays in one place."

"Mmm," Lucas hummed, frustrated, "Here's hoping, I suppose."

Ness nodded in agreement. He continued to quickly stitch. Lucas couldn't help but watch, both impressed and amazed. He had his fair share of knowledge in the craft, but that didn't even compare to how memorized and quick Ness was. It was as if every move he made was all in muscle memory.

Lucas' eyes trailed up to Ness' face. His eyes were narrowed, barely blinking and brow slightly furrowed. The boy was painfully skinny, unhealthily so. His face was a clear sign of his poverty, thin and pale. Lucas couldn't help but feel irritated; he'd tried several times to offer his assistance. Even if it was just to provide basic nutrition, or something as simple as a place to stay for the night. However, Ness would often decline most of the time.

 _'How proud he is._ ' Lucas thought, ' _You're starving, idiot._ '

With his thoughts, Lucas felt a sense of affectionate teasing. It wasn't uncommon for the two boys to throw casual insults at each other, as they both knew it was all in good fun. Ness, in particular, was very fond of jabbing at Lucas' petty, prim, and proper tendencies. Lucas would always counter back, usually pointing out his messy way of speaking. Ness would always laugh at that. That was something Lucas was always overjoyed to hear. In fact, everything about the noirette seemed to improve Lucas' mood.

He thought back to the conversation they shared the first night Ness had visited. Standing side by side, looking out of a window, admitting to each other just how much the other meant to them. Just thinking about it sent a tremble through Lucas. He desperately wanted to bring it up, but Ness seemed too focused. So, Lucas simply stayed quiet, and sat still.

However, moments after, Ness drew in a sharp, pained breath through his teeth.

" _Ow_ , dammit...!" He whispered, putting his index finger in his mouth.

"Pricked yourself again?" Lucas asked.

" _Mmhmm._ " Ness shamefully nodded his head.

"You know, you've been at this for nearly the entire evening," Lucas said, gesturing to the window, "Take a break, perhaps."

"Has it really been that long?" Ness looked out towards the sky, which was orange, "Alright. You know what I need? I need to be outside. Sun's going down, and those lamps aren't gonna light themselves."

As Ness set down the bundle of fabric and stretched out his arms, Lucas glanced out the window as well. As usual, the expanse of the city called to him. He turned his attention back to Ness.

"A-alright then, go on and...do your thing." He murmured. Ness, who had come to know the tone in Lucas' voice, smirked.

"I get the feeling someone wants to come with me." He replied.

"Give me five minutes, and I'll meet you at the stables!" Lucas excitedly gestured for Ness to flee. Ness only saluted back, before turning around to hastily climb out the window, disappearing soon after. As Lucas had guessed, the space underneath the dislodged floorboard was empty. He mentally swore at his brother, but was too excited to care. He simply grabbed his black hood and went on his way, through the usual route.

Ness was already waiting by the time Lucas arrived.

"Alright, I'm here..." He panted as he approached.

"Follow, then! C'mon!" Ness unexpectedly took his hand and intertwined their fingers, instantly breaking into a run.

Lucas' heart seemed to lunge when his friend grabbed his hand. Although his hand was gloved, he could feel the warmth. Ignoring the flush in his face and the pounding in his chest, Lucas only carelessly followed him through the darkening pathways.

* * *

While the two friends had visited the sanctuary several times, Lucas had never seen it at night. After Ness had finished lighting the lamps that night, they decided to go to their meeting place.

Ness observed his friend as they approached the familiar cliff side, and smiled when he saw Lucas' expression of absolute wonder. The Prince ran right up to the edge, as he'd forgotten his fear of falling weeks ago.

"It's even better at night time!" He cried, not caring that the wind had made a complete mess of his hair at this point.

The view from above was as vast and expansive as ever, but was now dotted with the glimmering combination of streetlamps and house lanterns. The glow was warm and golden, contrasting the chilly night air. The eerie shadows of the mountain range loomed over the kingdom like spirits.

"I'd have to agree with that," Ness snickered, joining Lucas' side, "You know, I'm starting to see the beauty you see. I think you helped me with that."

"You think so?" Replied Lucas brushing his platinum hair out of his face, "I'm glad."

As usual, they sat down, side by side. Lucas looked at his friend.

"You're amazing." Lucas remarked, only somewhat paying attention.

"What?"

" _I-It!_  It, as in the city.  _It's_  amazing."

"It really is," Ness agreed. He decided to bring up what had been bothering him for a good portion of the day, "Lucas, forgive me for bringing it up, but I can't help but notice that you're...distracted."

"In what way?" Lucas asked, pretending to not know what he was talking about. He'd noticed it too.

"Well, you've been screwing up words, I've noticed. It's _your_  job to teach  _me_  how to speak properly, remember?" Ness taunted.

"Ah, yes! Of course, of course..." Lucas replied.

"Also, the stammering, how frantic you are, all that. You don't have to be embarrassed, you can tell me what's wrong, you know."

"I  _do_  know, and I trust you, but..." Lucas trailed off, "...Well, not only is it just humiliating, it could potentially be strange for you as well."

"I like strange, though." Said Ness.

"Different kind of strange. A kind of strange that could...affect _us._ " Admitted Lucas. Ness' expression turned into a mixture of confusion of sadness.

"What'chu mean by that?" He asked, voice soft.

"I don't want to risk making things awkward, is all!" Lucas assured. He sighed, "But...I guess I  _have_  to tell you now, don't I?"

"I'd be bothered by it for ages if you didn't, admittedly." Ness said. Lucas only bowed his head.

"I see. Where do I even start, then?" Lucas murmured, "I guess...you could say that I've been having a hard time getting you out of my head recently."

"...I'm sorry, you lost me there." Ness replied, confused.

"I can't stop thinking about you!" Lucas blurted, "There's just no other way to put it! Every day, the only thing I look forward to is seeing you, and I don't know what it  _means!_ "

Ness, not expecting the sudden panicked outburst, didn't say anything at first. He simply averted his eyes to the side awkwardly. Lucas gasped softly and put his hands over his mouth.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice!" Lucas breathed.

"N-no, no, it's...alright, I'm just...more curious with  _what_  you said rather than how you said it." Ness said, scooting an inch closer to him, "Surely I'm not  _that_  important, right?"

"But you  _are._  You're my best friend, for heaven's sake. The only friend I've really got, but you're all I need..." Said Lucas. He was incredibly thankful for how dark it was, because he knew his face was growing redder by the second. He couldn't believe how completely embarrassed he was. Ness obviously sensed this, because he put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Wow, I didn't...I didn't realize how much I actually meant. Lucas, hey, look at me," Ness said, leaning over to try and look his friend in the eye, "Why are you so scared to tell me this?"

"I'm not sure. I didn't want you to feel overwhelmed or something, I don't know. I don't know what  _any_  of this means." Lucas replied, his voice breaking. He begged himself not to start tearing up. "I'm afraid of ruining it, is all. You're the most special thing I have right now."

Ness didn't say anything. Frankly, he just didn't know  _what_ to say. He'd never seen Lucas so vulnerable, and didn't know how to handle it. He took in several deep breaths, several thoughts running through his mind of what to do or say. He wasn't sure how to feel, whether it be flattered or frightened. He wanted to tell Lucas that he felt the exact same way, to tell him just how far those feelings went, but didn't know how to put it into words. He began to understand how awkward Lucas felt.

' _If he hasn't realized by now, it's up to me to tell him, then._ ' Ness thought nervously.

He tentatively leaned towards Lucas, who still stared at the ground, and absentmindedly pressed his lips to his cheek.

Almost immediately after, Ness pulled right back and backed away several feet. Lucas, eyes wide, stared back at him, bewildered at what had just happened. Ness' expression was identical, as he hid his own mouth with his arm.

"Why did I do that?" He muttered at a fast pace, "...Why on  _Earth_ did I do that? I-I don't know what to  _say_ , Your 'ighness, I-I'm sorry, that was inappropriate..."

"U-uh..." Lucas took a moment to compose himself, "...N-not to worry! Think nothing of it!" He placed his hand over his cheek.

"Okay, okayokayokay, alright...just forget that even happened. Please don't have me executed, heh..." Ness said, shifting back over to where he sat before, but hugging his knees to his chest.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Lucas replied, in an attempt to brush it off as well. After some stiff laughter from the both of them, they went silent.

Lucas let himself relax, and looked back out to the city. His heart was racing, and his hands were shaking, but he managed to find a sense of calmness the sanctuary usually brought to him. However, in the corner of his eye, he could spot Ness. To his surprise and confusion, Ness wasn't looking ahead of them, rather, he seemed to be eyeing Lucas from the side. He was obviously trying to hide the fact that he was basically looking straight at him. Lucas waited a few seconds, developing a quick plan to catch him in the act.

" _Hah._ " He instantly turned unexpectedly, and found that his suspicions were correct. Ness jumped, surprised to have been caught. He began to stammer, in order to explain himself. Lucas sympathetically smiled, "You were looking at  _me_  for the past five minutes, why?"

"I-I...um..."

"Ness, look at what's in front of you! The whole city! You've gotta learn to appreciate a view like this, you know."

Ness didn't say anything at first, but then bit his lip and shrugged, before inching closer. He looked back towards Lucas, giving a half smile.

"Not really." He replied, "I'm already lookin' at a better one."

Lucas silently faced him again, eyes gleaming and mouth open in shock. His heart rate picked up speed once again. He tried to form words, but both his mind and vocal chords seemed to fail him. Unable to control himself, he softly laughed a bit, fidgeting with a bit of his hair. Ness, who had a combination of charm and terror on his face, also laughed, nervous as to how Lucas would react to his direct comment. To his relief, Lucas scooted up right next to him, so that their arms were touching.

Lucas finally knew what this all meant.

"How do you do that?" Lucas began. His voice was airy.

"Do what, exactly?" Asked Ness. The two barely broke eye contact.

"You've...been able to make me feel things no one else has." Replied Lucas, at a low whisper at this point, "This can't  _just_  be friendship."

"...I'm relieved to know you feel the same way." Ness admitted. His first instinct was to back away when Lucas leaned closer to him, but he stayed where he was. He knew he was breaking every rule that society had set, but at this point, he didn't care.

"Tell me something." Lucas murmured, "...Have I gone insane?"

"I, um..." Ness stammered, "...I'm no doctor. I couldn't tell you."

"Then at least tell me this..." Lucas' eyes were warm and gentle. He slid his hand away from himself and set it on Ness' arm, "...Is it possible to fall in love in one night?"

Time stopped for Ness as he realized what was happening. Though he had no idea what to do or how to do it, he simply copied Lucas, placing his hand on Lucas' forearm. He felt the other boy shiver, so he ran his hand up to his shoulder, and eventually up his neck, so that he soon cupped the side of his face.

"...Well, if that's what classifies as 'insane', then consider me completely mad." He smirked, brushing a bit of hair out of Lucas' face, "Because I think I just did."

Lucas' breathing hitched. Though his eyes were closed out of nervousness, he could feel Ness' forehead touching his own. He breathed as if he'd been sprinting.

"Good god, Ness...What are we doing?" Lucas softly breathed.

" _...Shh,_ " Ness replied, brushing his thumb over Lucas' mouth, "I don't know, but I don't want to change my mind."

Lucas only nodded, finally daring to open his eyes. His gaze instantly met Ness'. He felt Ness' hand apply slight pressure to his face, coaxing him to lean in. Shaking in anticipation, he did so, tilting his head to the side. He'd never done this before, and it was obvious that Ness hadn't, either. At least Lucas had that assurance.

He finally felt a gentle touch upon his lips. He drew in a surprised breath and once again squeezed his eyes shut, but hastily calmed down. The two boys stayed in the odd position, lips barely making contact, each too frightened to even move a muscle. However, after a few seconds, Lucas' desire won over, and he leaned in to a shy, but bona fide kiss.

Ness expected to panic and pull away. He didn't. Instead, he moved in closer, moving his hand from Lucas' cheek to the back of his neck, and began to thread his fingers through his hair. His lips were cold, he noticed. But he didn't mind. Ness couldn't think of a single flaw that could ruin this for him. Before he had a chance to process the tingling in his fingers and the butterflies in his stomach, Ness eventually broke the kiss by backing away.

Upon the two opening their eyes again, they each failed to keep a straight face, and burst into fits of giggles.

"...I-I've never done that before." Lucas breathed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Really?" Ness replied, "Well. You're good at it."

"Ah, good, um...I'm glad to hear it." Lucas said, clearing his throat, "...Very disappointing, though."

"Pardon?" Ness asked, off put and saddened by the remark, "How so?"

"Because you stopped." A teasing smirk played at Lucas' mouth. Ness took a minute to process, before snickering in relief.

"I see. Huge mistake on my part. Perhaps that's something I should work on."

With that, Ness closed the gap between them once again, this time without hesitation or nervousness. A small, shocked noise escaped his throat when Lucas unexpectedly threw his arms around his neck, and pulled him closer. Lucas let himself fall backwards onto the grass, not daring to break the kiss again. Ness, amused by the sudden hunger in his movements, allowed this to happen. Lucas knew that the back of his cream coloured clothing was definitely being threatened by grass and dirt stains, but he couldn't bring himself to care. For the first time in ages, he couldn't bring himself to care about anything. Every thought in his head disappeared in an intoxicating, love-induced high.

Both boys knew about the danger they'd put themselves in. All it would take was one witness, and it would all be over for each of them. But frankly, none of that mattered to them. That was later; this was now. The moment would have to end eventually, but since each of them showed no signs of stopping, that eventual end didn't matter.

Through the haze in his mind, Lucas could only think about one thing.

' _I love him._ ' He thought, ' _I do. I love him, I love him, I love him..._ '

He repeated it to himself. He felt the weight of Ness' body above him, finally processing that this was real. It almost brought him to tears. Something that he'd worried about his entire life finally came to him in an instant.

' _I love him...!_ ' He repeated a final time, ' _And it appears he loves me._ '

* * *

Two figures walked hand in hand through the thin pine forest that surrounded Lucas' home. They didn't say a word to each other. The sun had begun to rise, making the two realize that neither of them had caught a wink of sleep. However, neither were tired. Lucas didn't even come close to being drowsy. They'd lost track of how long they had stayed at the sanctuary, but it had definitely been quite a while.

As he walked with Ness beside him, Lucas kept his other hand clamped over his mouth, still in shock of what had happened. The fog that clouded his mind cleared away once he spotted the light of the stables. His heartbeat began to quicken again, this time, more out of fear. He hastily released Ness' hand.

"Hm?" Ness hummed, confused. Lucas took a few deep breaths to compose himself.

"A-alright...Ness, listen..." Lucas breathed, as he began to pace, "W-what happened tonight, what we just did...we can't let that happen again, okay?"

" _What?_ " Replied Ness in disappointment, "Why?"

"Well, think about it!" Lucas turned to face him, keeping his voice hushed, "I kissed you! Willingly! For a  _very long time!_ "

"I don't assume there's a problem with that, is there?" Ness countered.

"Of  _course_  there's a problem with that, look at us! Look at who we are! It's bad enough you're of the  _lowest_  of class, not to mention, you're  _not exactly a woman!_ " Lucas harshly whispered.

"Well, you're right about both of those things. Yes, I'm a street rat, and yes, I'm not a woman. But for god's sake,  _who cares?_  Who says I have to be?" Asked Ness.

"Uh,  _everyone?_ " Lucas swept his hand in a gesturing motion, "The monarchs, the lords, the peers, the pastors?  _Tradition?_ You're seeing the issue here, right?"

"...I'm sorry, Lucas. I see nothing." Ness replied, holding his head high. Lucas sighed, and relaxed his body.

"I'm sorry too, but for a different reason. Ness, listen," Lucas paused, "...Everything I said back there, every word, I  _meant_  it. With all my heart, and all my soul. That was the honest truth, as honest as it can get."

"Then why can't this happen?" Ness asked softly, motioning to the two of them.

"It's just too risky. One person finds out, and both of us are done for. Even I'm shocked at myself, just going against everything I grew up with..."

"You're ashamed."

"No!"

"You're ashamed of yourself, you're ashamed of me? Of  _us?_ "

"Mon _dieu_ , I didn't say that!" Lucas replied.

"You didn't have to." Muttered Ness. He took a moment, and his eyes returned to a more gentle demeanor, "Lucas, in the months we've known each other, in your entire life, have you ever done  _anything_ according to tradition?"

"...W-well..."

"I understand, you're scared."

"I'm terrified! The feelings I have for you are so much more than just  _affection_ , and it  _frightens_  me!"

"Embrace that fear, then! I'm scared too! You think a disheveled street boy has  _any_  idea how this works?" Ness asked. He did all he could to try and make eye contact, but Lucas simply wasn't having it. He frowned, frustrated, "You just standing next to me right now is dangerous.  _Talking_  to me goes against the rules."

"But _loving you_  is different." Lucas murmured, "...What if someone were to find out? I'd lose you, I'd lose my status...we'd be put to the national  _razor_  for _sure..._ "

"Don't think about ' _what if_ '! Lucas, it's true we'd have to hide. But we'd have  _each other_. No one has to know except for us, and I'm perfectly fine with that." Ness gingerly took his hands, though Lucas still averted his eyes, "Please, I  _want_  this."

"As do I." Whispered Lucas.

"Then let it happen." Ness said, "As for the monarchs, the lords, the peers, the pastors, I say  _stick it._ And if you aren't ready, I understand. If this is too fast, I get it. But Lucas, if that kiss meant anything, then _putain de dieu_ , I'll wait! I will wait for years if I have to, until you're ready."

"You're not being too patient right now, then. It's not that I'm not ready. If you and I were to be together and not be scorned, I wouldn't be so hesitant..." Lucas slid his hands away, hugging them around himself and turning away from Ness. However, he instantly felt the cold upon his hands, and glanced back over his shoulder. There, he finally looked Ness in the eyes. The same fluttering in his chest from before returned. Hastily, he ran back to him and once again took his hands, "But... _oh, mon amour,_  I can't  _stand_  it! I-I _need_  this, I  _need_  us...that kiss meant  _everything._ "

"Aye," Ness murmured, "...So...?"

Lucas bit his lip, nervously glancing around him. But each time he took his sights off of Ness, he felt empty. In the dim light, he found it difficult to see him in full view.

"Light a match." He said.

"A match? Uh...a'course, gimme a moment," Ness took a moment to reach into his inner pocket and retrieved his matchbox. Though Lucas couldn't see much, he could see a few sparks flying outwards as Ness struck it a few times. At last, the flame ignited, emitting a satisfying glow. Lucas, now able to see Ness' face, smiled. He held one hand over top of the flame to shield it from the wind. With the other hand, he held Ness', their fingers intertwined.

"P-perfect." He said softly, "Here we are, then. This is us."

"Yeah." Ness replied, "I don't want to mess this up."

"I won't let that happen."

"You're sure you're ready for this?"

"Positive. After all, I'm about to become the most powerful man in the country. Each word I speak will be law. If I say day is night, then it shall be so." Lucas touched his forehead to Ness', "...I will not let anything come between us."

"Then neither will I." Ness nodded once.

Lucas shifted his weight on to the tips of his toes to kiss him again, this time much softer and too short for either to process. The moment after they pulled away from each other, the flame went out. Ness reached to light another, but Lucas stopped him.

"Believe me, that flame is still burning. And forever it will." He assured, "This love will last until it goes out."

"Well, forever's a long time." Ness teased.

"I'll take in every second of it." Lucas said, smiling.

In the distance, the sounds of early morning voices could be heard. Both boys gasped.

"You must leave, my brother's already suspicious of me." Lucas urged.

"Alright," Ness hastily brushed the disheveled hair away from Lucas' face and kissed the top of his head, "Until we meet again."

"I shall wait, and dread every moment of waiting." Lucas replied.

As Ness began to walk away, they held onto each other's hand as long as they could, until they eventually had to let each other go. Ness, in his usual fashion, gave a salute and a tip of his hat.

" _Je t'aime._ " He said. Happiness built up inside of Lucas like a storm.

" _J-J'adore!_ " Lucas called back, "I'll be thinking of you!"

"And I, you!" Ness cried as he began to sprint.

Lucas watched him go until he was out of sight. He stood in a trance, the slowly rising sun just beginning to shine upon his face. The events of the entire night felt as if they never happened, yet all the same, completely real.

With a sense of gaiety he'd never felt before, Lucas couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably. Then, without even bothering to tidy up his appearance, he quickly ran back into the stables.


	4. The Match Gone Rogue

The last thing Claus had been expecting just after daybreak was to see his brother happily making his way down the hall, clothes smeared in dirt and hair in a tussle, taking each step with a skip and humming a seemingly improvised melody. Claus stopped walking for a moment as he watched Lucas continue down the corridor. When he noticed the absolute mess Lucas was, he instantly sped up his pace, naturally concerned.

"Lucas?" He called, jogging to catch up with him.

Lucas seemed to barely even notice his brother as he turned around to spot him. But once he did, Lucas instantly ran to him.

"Good morrow, Claus!" Lucas greeted in a singsong voice, taking his brother's hands and excitedly running into a few spins. Claus, both confused and suddenly excited due to Lucas' infectious cheerfulness, gave a nervous laugh and ran with him.

"Oh, um...! Yes, of course, good morrow, good brother!" Claus breathed, as he took a moment to sooth his dizziness, "Care to explain the state you're in, with the dirt, and the filth, and...?"

"Oh, I simply took a walk outside, is all!" Lucas absentmindedly replied with a wave of his hand.

"Did you take a fall?"

Lucas shrugged his shoulders playfully, "...I suppose you could put it that way. I certainly fell in  _something._ "

Claus watched in bewilderment, completely speechless as Lucas brushed off the conversation as if it had never happened, and walked past him. He raised an eyebrow as he observed Lucas.

"Okay, I know you've been acting out of the ordinary recently, but you're awfully... _chipper._ "

"Is it such an anomaly for me to be happy?"

"Of course not! But...well, it _is_ the dark hours of the morning, and you're covered head to toe in dirt, which you've told me is your least favourite thing."

"I couldn't care less," Lucas said. His voice was high and airy, "Because today's going to be a good day, I can feel it. In fact, all of my days will be good days!"

Lucas' overwhelming merriment was beginning to creep Claus out a little. His brother sounded as if he had just finished sprinting. However, Claus suddenly began to develop an idea of what was going on. He continued to follow Lucas from behind. After a few moments, Claus came to his conclusion. He smirked and jogged to join Lucas at his side.

"So...nothing's up?" Claus asked.

"No, as I said." Replied Lucas.

"Oh, I beg to differ!" Claus teased, "I see that skip in your step. I see the flush in your face, and I see the gleam in your eyes. You're dizzy, you're dreamy, you're lost in space? Your voice is practically twenty octaves higher than it was yesterday?  _Mother always told me what those are symptoms of._ "

" _Claus,_ " Lucas warned.

Claus stepped in front of his twin, blocking his path, "You're  _smitten._ " He sneered, narrowing his eyes.

"I am  _not_  smitten!" Lucas insisted, trying to pass him. However, Claus kept running in front of him.

"You're also a liar," Claus insisted, "Tell me who she is."

"There is no 'she!'" Lucas protested, bashfully turning in the other direction. ' _I'm technically telling the truth._ ' He thought.

"Lucas, so help me, if you do not tell me who you are so clearly head over heels for,  _everybody_  in the castle staff finds out about the time you fasted for two weeks because you refused to eat until I apologized for throwing a spider at you." Claus threatened. Lucas gasped, insulted.

"Don't you dare!  _S_ _'il vous plaît,_  that is a secret you swore on your _life_ not to tell!" Lucas cried.

Claus, showing no signs of giving in, took a step back, threatening to run.

" _I'm not afraid to bribe the town crier to add another announcement to his list._ " He whispered.

" _Fine! Fine, fine, yes,_  I've fallen for someone!" Lucas exclaimed, clamping his hands over his mouth immediately afterwards. Claus eagerly clapped in victory.

"Hah, yes! Who is she?"

"None of your business, that's who."

"Ohhh, I see. It's that maiden father arranged for you to wed, yes? You finally feel a spark?" Claus prompted.

"U-um..." Lucas stammered, "...Oh,  _butterscotch._  You got me. You found me out. I knew I couldn't keep it from you forever, Claus. You're just too clever."

" _I knew it!_ " Claus celebrated, "This is perfect! Now you wont be in a loveless marriage! Things are looking up for you, aren't they?"

" _Absolutely._ " Lucas answered, playing along.

"All you need to do is appeal to  _her_ , which you should have no trouble with, being yourself." Claus said, "You see, I told you that things would work out. Love must be something wonderful to be in."

"It's more than just wonderful, it's...it's...there's just no words to describe it!" Lucas voicelessly explained, "I'm off to catch up on studies. You should probably go too, aren't you on far border patrol today?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Claus muttered, "Are you sure you don't want help cleaning up? You're kind of a mess."

"Who  _cares_ , I'm in love, aren't I? I haven't got any cusses left to give!" Lucas exclaimed, as he began to make his way down the hallway again.

Claus watched him go with a content smile. He'd never seen Lucas so carelessly happy. It was as if he'd reverted back to a younger age. But, it didn't bother him. Lucas was finally satisfied, and that was all that mattered. He'd finally found someone truly right for him.

* * *

"Alright, ready?"

Lucas stood behind Ness, who was seated at the table in Lucas' room. Ness looked at himself in the mirror before him, seeing Lucas position a pair of scissors near his head. Today was the day Lucas was going to take control of the absolute ratted mess that was Ness' hair. Ness swallowed nervously, shifting uncomfortably.

"...Y-yes, alright..." He stammered, nodding.

"Don't tell me you're scared." Lucas rolled his eyes, endeared.

"I've, uh...never really had my hair cut with scissors before." Ness admitted.

"Well, how on Earth did you get it cut before?"

"Usually, I just hack it off with a knife."

"Ah, that explains a lot. Somehow, these teeny little scissors scare you more than that?" Lucas teased, "Ness, there's no need to worry. I am incredibly skilled in this field, as you know. Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Just do it before I change my mind!" Ness exclaimed, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Alright, alright, here we go, nice and easy..."

Ness felt him pull and prod at each lock of his hair, and grit his teeth once he began to cut away at it. The trembling in his arms and hands subsided as Lucas continued to work for several minutes. He found the courage to open his eyes and catch sight of his reflection. Lucas had already taken off a good portion off, and it no longer reached his neck. Lucas made eye contact with him through the mirror, and smiled.

"There, see? That's not so bad, is it?" He said, "You're going to look like a new man once I'm done with you. A stunning, ravishing creature.  _Un beauté._ "

"Do you think others here will like it? Will they like _me?_ " Ness asked.

"Most definitely. You're already doing quite well with everything. Especially with posture and such, very nice work." Lucas said.

"It's much harder than I thought," Ness lifted up his dress shirt, wincing at the sharp pain caused by the corset-like brace tightened around his waist and upper back, which kept him sitting up straight, "How long until I actually get to be seen in this place?"

"You know, to be quite honest, you wouldn't be all too out of place at this point. If you just keep yourself soft spoken, I don't think anyone would bat an eye if they saw you with me." Lucas explained. Ness hesitated for a few moments, before they met each other's eyes again. He sent a suggestive glance, shrugging his shoulders a bit.

"...No one?" He murmured. Lucas drew in his lower lip.

"I wouldn't think so," He replied, a slight smirk playing at his face, "...Do you want to try it? Just to get others used to seeing you around?"

"Nothing will happen to me?" Ness asked hesitantly.

"You'll be with me, Ness. Their prince. Nothing will happen. Worst case scenario, they think you're a little odd," Lucas said. He set down the scissors and put his hands on Ness' shoulders, leaning down beside him so that the sides of their faces were touching, "But we're not changing that oddness, alright?"

Ness grinned, nodding his head, "If it so suits your needs, sire."

"Wonderful! So, once I'm done here, we'll do a test run." Lucas uncapped a small container and scooped out a portion of an oily substance, before smearing it into Ness' hair and smoothing it over. "Here we go...spick...and...span. Done!"

Ness observed himself, looking at his face from several angles. Rather than sticking out in several directions and matted tufts, his hair was now neatly shaped to his head and parted to the side. He proudly straightened up and glanced back at Lucas, who motioned for him to stand up. Ness did so, and spotted all the discarded clumps of hair on the ground. He brushed himself off and gave a sigh of relief.

"I feel...nice." He said, relishing the feeling of being able to turn his head and not feel excess weight.

"What did I tell you? Stunning and ravishing. You're going to turn heads and capture hearts." Lucas teased. He felt the same fluttering in his chest as always. He had to admit, he'd done a good job. Ness smirked and fastened his arm around his waist.

"Capture hearts, you say? But mine's already taken." He whispered.

"Ness,  _don't!_ " Lucas playfully swatted him away, laughing, "You're embarrassing."

"No one's  _here,_ " Ness rolled his eyes, pulling him in close again.

" _I'm_  here, you bastard." Lucas replied in an amused, softer voice, not backing away this time. Noticing that Ness still had an untied neckerchief draped over his neck, he began to tie it into place, "Now, you look cleaned up enough to pass for upper class, but your accent still needs work. Because of that, you are now officially ill, and unable to speak."

"Alright, I can deal with that." Ness nodded.

"Did you finish making your coat?" Lucas asked. Ness motioned for him to wait, before running to the desk at the back of the room and picking up the folded garment.

"I've never actually put it on, but it's done," Ness explained as he unfolded his creation and shrugged it on quickly. To his delight and relief, it was a perfect, snug fit. He looked down at himself, satisfied. The navy tailcoat was a bit wrinkled here and there, but altogether, Ness had to admit that it was one of his best works. He glanced up at Lucas, "There we are! Will this work?"

"Oh my _lord_ , you did all that yourself?" Lucas breathed, taking Ness' arm to inspect the carefully stitched embroidery on the sleeve. While it wasn't as complex as the crewel on his own clothing, it was still impressive to look at.

"Don't mean to brag, but this was all me." Ness proudly declared. "I had to sacrifice sleep and sanity to do it, but I think it turned out nice."

"Well, it does transform you quite well." Lucas noticed, relieved that the coat seemed to cover up how skinny Ness was. He looked up at him, "Off we go.  _Nesley!_ "

Ness perked up at Lucas' slightly projected voice, and stood to attention, feet together and one hand placed respectfully behind his back

"Sire." He bowed his head in acknowledgement, as he'd been taught.

"Escort me." Lucas instructed, pleased that Ness had remembered the correct mannerisms.

"Right away, Your..." Ness trailed off to focus on how he spoke, " _...Highness._ "

"Best foot forward, then." Lucas replied. He sent a playful look Ness' way. Ness returned the look, raising his hand and allowing Lucas to set his palm over top of it. Lucas whispered quickly, " _Shoulder height, Love._ "

" _Right! Right..._ " Ness lifted his hand a bit higher, so that it was at the same height as his shoulder. Lucas could feel Ness' hand quivering underneath his own.

Once creeping out into the hallway silently, both boys were relieved to see the corridor empty.

"There. See? This is easy." Lucas remarked, relaxing.

However, they were both startled by distant voices from down the hall. Without any warning, two people turned the corner. Lucas spotted the familiar face of Paula walking alongside another maid. The girls each noticed Ness almost instantly, and slowed their pace. Paula had a clear look of confusion on her face.

"Oh...!" Lucas snapped to action, "Anyways, Nesley, as I was saying. Would you agree that the idea of joining together the kingdoms of Dragonstep and Magicant is a good one?"

Ness froze, "Um..." He bit his lip, remembering that he couldn't speak, " _...Mmhmm._ "

"I'm glad to hear you agree," Lucas projected his tone to make sure the nearby maids heard him, "Oh, look! It's my good friend Paula!"

"Your Highness, good morrow," Paula nodded in his direction with a smile, "Pray tell, who's this?"

"This is a friend of mine. Nesley, Paula. Paula, Nesley." Lucas motioned for the two to shake hands, which they obliged to. Ness was keeping his lower lip drawn in, obviously struggling to keep himself quiet.

"Well, any friend of the Young Master is a friend of mine, Nesley! I hope you've been able to make yourself at home here." Paula said to Ness, who froze up again. Lucas was quick to step in.

"He's very ill at the moment. It's insisted that he keeps the talking to a minimum." Lucas clarified, to Ness' relief.

"Ah, I see. Poor dear. Please, feel free to ask for any assistance, alright?" Paula assured, "Anyways, lovely to see the two of you, but we must be off. Your brother should be here any moment with the- Oh! There he is!"

Paula and her cohort quickly jogged in the other direction, and as predicted, they ran to meet Claus. Ness instantly latched onto Lucas' arm with an iron grip, and Lucas calmed him with a hand on his shoulder Claus was holding a pile of what looked like drapes, and handed them to Paula.

"Here you are," He said, breathing heavily as if he'd been running, "I'm sorry, it took me a while to take these down from the main hall."

"Not to worry, Sire! Gave me enough time to meet this lovely boy!" Paula explained, pointing back to Ness, who was shaking like a leaf at this point. Claus perked up to see him, and tipped his head to the side in confusion.

"Oh!" He approached them, "Lucas, you didn't tell me you were seeing anyone today."

"...Forgot to mention it, I guess!" Lucas shrugged.

"Hm. Typical, I suppose..." Claus sighed, "You two are good to go." He waved off Paula and the other maid, who nodded and departed quickly.

"So, quite a surprise seeing you here today! _I thought you were on patrol._ " Lucas emphasized nervously through his teeth.

"No, another false alarm. But, it seems to be a good thing that I'm here, because now I can meet this friend of yours." Claus said, turning his attention to Ness, "...You seem... _awfully_  familiar, have we met?"

Ness shook his head. Lucas winced, knowing that he'd grown way to used to casual speaking. Claus' brow furrowed, put off by the gesture.

"He's left unable to speak, you see! I assure you he is a very respectful person!" Lucas quickly explained.

"...How have you been communicating with him, then?" Claus asked.

"He's been...um...writing it down, of course!" Lucas said, remembering a pad of parchment and graphite strip in his coat pocket and pulling both items out. Ness snapped to look at him, his eyes wide and clearly frightened, but Lucas ignored this.

"Okay, then. Perhaps you can introduce yourself to me, then?" Claus asked. Ness stared in horror as he was suddenly handed the writing utensils. He then looked back at Lucas, who motioned for him to do something. Claus waited patiently. Ness slowly positioned the pen, barely touching the paper's surface. He then found himself breaking character.

" _...Lucas._ " Ness whispered from the side of his mouth.

"Hm?" Lucas replied, keeping his eyes on Claus.

" _I cant write._ "

Lucas felt his heart skip a beat, turning slightly to look at Ness. While he still kept a content smile on his face, his eyes were filled with panic.

"What was that?" He squeaked.

" _I don't know how to write._ " Ness repeated, emphasizing each word.

Several moments went by in silence. Ness continued to hold eye contact with Lucas, while Claus watched in confusion. Lucas slowly raised his fingers to his temples.

" _Are you bloody kidding me?_ " Lucas whispered.

"Lucas, please explain to me what-" Claus trailed off upon looking back at Ness. He squinted and looked him up and down, before slowly trailing his gaze to Lucas, lips pressed in a thin line. Lucas sheepishly shrunk into himself. That was the look Claus always gave him when he knew what was going on. As usual, Lucas finally gave in.

"I suppose you want to have a word with me." He sighed.

"Just for a moment, if you wouldn't mind." Claus patted Lucas' shoulder, then led him a few paces away. He turned back towards Ness, "We'll only be a second, if you would be so kind as to wait."

"S-sure." Ness nodded.

Once they were considerably out of earshot, Claus faced Lucas and crossed his arms. Lucas rolled his eyes, knowing that this was his cue.

"Alright, fine. Yes, that's Ness." Lucas admitted.

"You actually had me fooled, I barely recognized him," Claus said in amazement, "But  _why_ , though?"

"I said that I wanted to hire an assistant, didn't I?"

"Yes, but a  _commoner?_ "

"He is anything  _but!_  I'll have you know that for a long time, I have been teaching him all there is to know about being a gentleman of class. And he seems to be doing a good job, seeing as you didn't recognize him." Lucas said, smirking.

"You've been _teaching_  him how to be of wealth?" Claus asked.

"Yes, and he's doing very well."

"Except with the writing part. You might want to fix that," Claus said, "Well, good luck with him. I'll admit, it is quite impressive, the work you've done."

"Wait, you're not upset?" Lucas asked, puzzled.

"Not...entirely. I'm guessing you two have been meeting in secret for a while, yes? Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to teach him all this." Claus guessed. When Lucas nodded, he continued, "Well, I noticed this a while back, but...you're happier. Much, much happier. I figure it has something to do with that boy. I suppose all you really needed was a close friend after all. So, no. I'm not upset."

"...Wow. I wasn't really expecting that," Lucas breathed, relieved, "Thank goodness."

"But," Claus intervened, "You might not be as lucky with father, which is why the two of you need to stay on the down low for now. If he doesn't know how to write, then I don't suppose he really knows how to read either."

"It completely went over my head." Lucas admitted, "He wasn't poor growing up, but he certainly couldn't afford education. I can teach him how to read easily."

"Good, then get right on that." Claus glanced back at Ness, who was wandering around a bit, observing the area. He laughed a bit, silently to himself, "...This is the one?"

" _Oui_ , Absolutely."

"I don't recognize the clothing, did you give him your own?"

"Actually, no." Lucas leaned in close, lowering his voice to a whisper, "He  _made_  it, right from scratch."

Claus glanced at him, stunned, "He  _what?_  He made that? By himself?"

"The whole ensemble, save for the boots. Those are mine." Lucas explained proudly, "He was a tailor's boy."

"It shows, he has wonderful talent." Claus breathed, "Well. You just keep on surprising me, don't you?"

Lucas only shrugged playfully. Claus softly nudged him, before motioning for him to follow. The brothers made their way back to Ness, who was still pacing aimlessly. When he noticed his superiors, he quickly stood at attention and bowed his head in respect. Claus nodded back once.

"You can speak now, Ness. He knows who you are." Lucas assured. Ness sighed in relief.

"Thank god..." He said. He froze up, intimidated, when Claus suddenly approached him.

"I trust you'll work hard to provide proper assistance to Lucas, yes?" Claus asked, amused by Ness' panic.

"The best kind there is! I'll have y'know that assistance is my h'absolute speci-ality." Ness clarified, crossing his arms proudly.

"If that's the case, then I look forward to seeing how... _this_  turns out." Claus gestured to Ness, who swallowed nervously. Claus held out his hand, "It's been a pleasure."

Ness eyed his outstretched hand, and quickly stopped himself from reaching up to shake it, knowing he was not supposed to touch royalty unless specifically told to. He simply looked back at Claus and smiled, tipping his head.

"It has been so, Your 'ighness." He said. Claus grinned in satisfaction and retrieved his hand back.

"Very good." He praised, before looking at his brother and sending him an impressed look.

Once Claus had walked off and out of earshot, Lucas excitedly turned to Ness, who ran a hand through his hair and laughed nervously. Lucas enthusiastically threw his arms around him and squeezed, nearly knocking him over.

"It's all going according to plan!" He cried happily.

"Oof...! Yeah, that went smoothly...!" Ness struggled to keep his balance, eventually managing to keep himself upright and hugging Lucas back. They stayed that way for a few moments, silently enjoying each other's presence and warmth, before Lucas suddenly pulled away.

"Ah, we should...wait until we're somewhere more private." He whispered sheepishly.

"Good thinking." Ness hastily nodded and placed himself a few feet away. Awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to foot, he looked back at Lucas with curious eyes, "...Do you think he liked me?"

"Well, he didn't look like he  _disliked_  you. With just a bit more work, you'll be able to blend right in," Lucas suddenly turned to Ness with a look of irritation, before swatting his shoulder, "Speaking of which, what do you  _mean_ you can't write?! That would've been something very convenient to know!"

" _Ow...!_ I'm sorry, I didn't know I even  _had_  to know how to write!" Ness admitted, rubbing a hand over his shoulder.

"You're training to be a superior class assistant for a bloody _monarch_ ,  _writing is kind of important!_ " Lucas whispered harshly, keeping his voice low. He swiped his shoulder again, softer and more affectionately this time, "Not to worry. I can teach you how to do all that. We've got plenty of time."

Suddenly, the loud sound of several bell chimes came from outside. Both boys turned to the closest window just in time to see a flock of startled birds pass by. Ness sighed and hung his head.

"Perfect timing, it's mid-morning. I've got to get out there and turn back into normal me. Those banners aren't gonna sell themselves." Ness said.

"You gonna keep this on?" Lucas teased, gesturing to Ness' attire.

"Wish I could, but something tells me everyone would be a little put off by a newsboy who looks like this." Ness replied.

"Alright. I've got to attend to some things, so you can go ahead and change in my room. Try not to be spotted, okay?" Lucas said in a hushed voice, "If anybody sees you, tell them I sent you there to fetch something."

"Got it." Ness said, "Hold on..."

He spared a glance down the hallway, and wandered a bit to see if anyone was around. Lucas watched, confused. He opened his mouth to say something, but was abruptly cut off when Ness suddenly grabbed his shoulder and kissed him, before immediately pulling away and breaking into a jog. Lucas stumbled back, blinked, and composed himself.

"Ness,  _what was that?_ " He called, laughing, "Someone could've seen that!"

"But no one did!" Ness replied, glancing back over his shoulder as he ran off, "I look forward to seeing you again,  _mon amour!_ "

Lucas slowed to a stop and shook his head, unable to keep himself from smiling. He watched Ness go, wishing he could follow. He smoothed down his clothing and sighed in satisfaction.

' _I can't wait to see you either.'_ Lucas thought lovingly, ' _Here's hoping everything works out as well as it did today.'_

* * *

Lucas was at his usual place at the window, chin resting in his hands. He watched as the city below slowly began to fill with dots of light. His heart was full and he was smiling uncontrollably, because he knew that it was Ness down there. Lucas hadn't seen him for a few days, and each moment without him was like a dagger pushed through his body. At least he could feel his presence now.

' _I wish..._ ' He thought, focusing his eyes on one of the lamps, ' _...I wish to see him soon._ "

He spent several more minutes at the window. However, below him, he could hear a sound. It sounded like rustling leaves, as if someone was walking through the forest below. Curious, Lucas leaned out to take a peek. He saw nothing, but the sounds still continued. They were way too loud and controlled to be an animal. Someone was down there. He shrugged it off at first, figuring it may have been one of the gardeners. But then again, it was nearly midnight.

Then, he thought it could've possibly been Ness, but he was in the village right now, doing his job. Lucas' brow furrowed as he continued to observed what was below him. He saw a shift of movement in the darkness, and froze. A sudden fit of coughing sounded. The coughing sounded pained and sickly. They took deep, shaky breaths, as if clinging to life. Lucas put a hand to his chest.

' _Someone's in pain down there...!_ ' He thought worriedly. He looked around some more, trying to spot anyone who could help this victim, but he saw no one. His prince instinct kicked in, as he quickly ran back into the room and searched for his coat. Claus had always warned him not to approach strange looking people at night, but Lucas pushed the thought away. He couldn't just let someone suffer.

"Hold on, whoever's down there!" Lucas called. Fueled by adrenaline, he climbed onto the window's edge and prepared himself. He was going to use the pine tree, as Ness always did. Surely, it couldn't be that hard.

"Who said that?" The voice from below him was a young one. Their voice resembled Ness' in a way; the same inflection and demeanor. However, it was too high pitched to be him.

"Y-your Prince, fair s-subject," Lucas relayed the same thing he'd been taught to use when approaching a commoner. He reared back, feeling his heart drop. Forcing himself not to look down, he threw himself from the window with a panicked squeak of fear. He just managed to grab a hold on two branches, and settled each foot on two others. He took a moment to compose himself, before making his way down as quickly as he could.

"Is that really you, Your Highness?" Called the voice. They sounded close to death.

"Yes, I won't be long! Are you in pain?" Lucas asked.

"The worst of it, sire..."

"Wait there, I'll help!"

"O-okay..."

When Lucas was close enough to the ground, he jumped out of the tree and landed safely on the forest floor. He glanced around, and finally spotted a dark shape leaning against a tree. He hastily made his way over.

"Tell me, what happened?" He asked, kneeling beside the person. They were covered in a dark maroon hood, and were shaking violently. The person slightly turned to face him, but didn't show their face. From what Lucas could see, however, the person was a younger male with lighter skin.

"Sickness." Replied the stranger.

"What kind, do you want me to take you to our hospital ward?"

"N-no, I'm alright..." Said the person, "...Probably just a harmless cold."

"Are you sure, though? Even just water, or anything?" Lucas asked.

"Well..." The person paused, "...I wandered over here aimlessly, I didn't realized I had trespassed onto royal grounds. Do you know the way back to the town?"

"Back to the village? Of course, I'll escort you." Lucas said, helping the person stand up.

"God bless you..." They rasped, "I hate to be a bother."

"It's no trouble. I couldn't let one of my subjects get lost in such a state."

It didn't take long for Lucas to navigate his way through the trees. The hooded person said nothing as they went along. Lucas felt a slight feeling of unease. It was a bit odd that someone would randomly wander into royal territories. But his caring tendency took over, and the suspicion slowly faded.

Finally, he pushed aside a large branch, which led directly out into a small village courtyard. He walked out onto the cobblestone ground and set his hands on his hips.

"Here we are! Are you..." Lucas trailed off of his sentence.

The person had strangely disappeared. Odd, he thought. They had just been behind him. He peered through the branches to try and see if they'd fallen, but to his confusion, they were nowhere to be seen. He backed away into the dimly lit area and looked around, tightly wrapping his coat over himself to hide his appearance. His eyes darted nervously from place to place. Something was definitely wrong. He felt for his side holster, and was relieved to feel the handle of his sword. He tightened his hand around the grip, narrowing his eyes and going completely still. All he could hear was his own breathing, and the nearby dripping of water. To his frustration, he heard nothing out of the ordinary, and everything around him seemed to be still. He'd checked each side, in front, and behind him.

However, Lucas had failed to look up.

He had barely any time to react as he heard the sudden landing of feet on the ground behind him. Before he could turn around and draw his weapon, he felt an arm latch itself around his throat, gripping him in a tight hold. Lucas stifled a cry of fear as he was pulled back against another human body.

"Right then, Your Highness. We're gonna do this nice and easy." A sickly sweet voice whispered from behind, sending a shiver up his spine. Lucas struggled for just a moment, but held still when the pressure against his throat increased, threatening to cut off air supply. The person snickered softly, "...Ah, yes. Our dearest prince really _is_ as selfless as they claim he is. I knew you couldn't turn away from a subject in need."

Lucas drew in a shaky breath, "That was a dirty trick...reveal yourself to me. That's an order."

"Can't do that, I'm afraid." Murmured his captor, "Listen here, and listen good. How much money do you think you're worth?"

"Ah, I see. A ransom is what you're after. You're _foolish_  if you think you'll get anything out of this, I hope you know." Lucas muttered.

"Aye, but not if we do it well enough." Said the stranger, "Come along, just walk back with me."

"Not so fast. I have reason to believe you're concealing a weapon." Lucas said.

"I insist, I have nothing of the sort, just these hands."

"Wrong again. You're wearing combat gloves, are you not? The dominant hand often has a patch of leather sewn to the palm, to allow easier grip on the handle of whatever you're using. If you really wanted to hold me down properly, you'd have used your dominant hand. But this glove I see here has bare palms. Let me guess, you've got a knife under that coat of yours?"

The person paused for a moment, before giving a quiet, irritated laugh.

"You're a clever prince." He growled.

"It's in the job description, really."

"Fine, then," The captor swiftly drew their other arm from underneath the hood, brandishing a switchblade. Lucas went frozen as he felt cold metal being held just under his jaw. "I prefer the hard way, anyways."

Lucas reacted by letting his legs give away from under him. The sudden weight took his captor by surprise, causing him to let go of Lucas, who got to his feet, shed the coat, and unsheathed his sword, which he aimed directly at the throat of the stranger. However, Lucas gasped, upon getting his first look at their face.

"...Ness?" He whispered. The stranger looked just like him, but there was no way Ness would do such a thing to him. Lucas narrowed his eyes, "...No, you're not Ness. You don't have the...have the..."

"Th-th-the scar?" The lookalike mocked the stutter in Lucas' voice. He smirked, tracing a finger down the side of his face, "I'm surprised you even know who the little street rat is."

"I know who  _you_  are," Lucas flexed his stance, not daring to move the blade from it's position, "You're Ninten, aren't you? Ninten Trinh. You're supposed to be  _a threat._ But I've seen nothing but weakness so far."

"I'd watch your mouth, sire." Ninten snapped, "I can  _get_ dangerous. But, I'm offering you the easy way. If you want to make it out of this without a scratch, you can drop your weapon, come with me, and do exactly as I say. I guarantee, you'll be returned without a hair on your head out of place."

"And the hard way?" Lucas asked, showing no signs of backing down without a fight. Ninten smiled again.

" _I hope you've practiced your swordsmanship._ "

Lucas blocked a sudden attack from Ninten, who came at him with the switchblade. The two instantly locked into heated combat. Although Ninten had only a small knife to defend himself, he made up for it with quick movements and strong defense. Lucas found it difficult to keep up with the thief. Even Claus, who was specially trained, wasn't this unexpected.

In perhaps what was the shortest battle Lucas had ever experienced, he was pushed back by Ninten, and nearly fell. As he caught his balance, he heard a click behind him. Lucas went still. He slowly turned, horrified to see that his opponent was much more prepared than he thought. In his hand was a gun, pointed straight at him. Ninten glared at him through dark eyes, panting.

"W-where did you get your hands on one of those?" Lucas stammered.

"I'm the most dangerous thief in Dragonstep, as you've heard. I have my ways. Now," Ninten took a step closer, " _Drop the weapon._ "

Lucas did nothing. He raised the sword again, in a threat to attack. Ninten stared daggers at him, not hesitating to pull the trigger. The gun went off with a loud pop, sending sparks flying. Lucas felt the bullet whiz right past him, just missing his face. It hit the wall behind him, lodging itself into the bricks of a building.

" _Mon dieu_ , you'll have to apologize for my _aim._ " Ninten murmured, as he cocked the gun again, raising it in it's previous position.

"How many of you are there?" Lucas asked, failing to hide the quivering in his voice.

"Hm. Smart boy." Ninten whispered, raising his other hand and snapping once. On command, three others emerged from the shadows. Two girls and a boy, each just as rugged as Ninten. Several other clicks emitted as they each reveal guns of their own. Staring down the barrel of each weapon, Lucas realized that he was either going to adhere to the instructions, or die. His fingers tapped against the handle of the sword as he debated. Ninten sighed, "Do I need to count down, or have you made up your mind?"

Lucas looked him in the eye, and shivered once again at his resemblance to Ness. Defeated and frightened for his life, Lucas sighed, and let the sword clatter to the ground, before raising his hands on either side of himself. Ninten's eyes flickered with achievement.

"Good choice." He said, "Ana, Jeff, get a good hold on him. We don't want him running off. Kumatora, you know what to do." Ninten tossed his switchblade to one of the taller girls, who nodded.

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut as the girl approached him. He felt a section of his hair being pulled, before he felt it being torn away with the blade of the knife. He bit his lip. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the girl, named Kumatora, holding a chunk of blond hair in her hand. She let it fall to the ground, looking at him with a grin the whole time.

"A bit of a sneak peek," She said, "Shows 'em what we'll do if they don't cooperate. That lovely hair of yours won't be the only thing we cut."

"When the royal guard gets their hands on you, you'll be sorry." Lucas hissed.

"They'll never find us. They've never been  _able_  to." Ninten explained, "Best foot forward, then."

Lucas replied by spitting at the ground near his feet. Ninten instantly reacted by advancing on him, but Kumatora grabbed hold of his arm.

"Easy, boss." She said, "We want him alive, remember? Can't get a ransom for a dead prisoner."

Ninten relaxed, but kept his eyes on Lucas, "You're lucky you need to be kept alive. Otherwise, you'd see your blood against the floors _,_ Lucas."

"You _dare_  call me by that name against permission,  _commoner?_   _Surely_  you know how to treat your royals with respect." Lucas countered bitterly.

Ninten ignored this, and motioned with a wave of his hand for his cohorts to get moving.

"On we go." He instructed, "Remember to leave the note."

Lucas felt a piece of cloth being pressed over his mouth and nose. He struggled to move his head, but he suddenly found himself unable to move. Before his vision faded and he fell into darkness, all he could think about was his brother, and hoping that he'd find him soon.

* * *

Ness had completed his job happily, knowing that Lucas was probably at his window right now, watching from above. Each day that passed without seeing him felt like ages. Just after finishing climbing down the last lamppost, he looked back at his work, satisfied and tired. He brushed his hands together, looking forward to getting to rest finally.

However, he was snapped fully to attention by the distant sound of gunfire. It was only one shot. Ness instantly ducked into the shadows, silently keeping watch on what was around him. He held his breath, listening for any other sounds. The air seemed to go quiet. Perhaps it was simply a practice shot, or perhaps it wasn't even a gunshot at all. But to stay safe, Ness stayed where he was. He heard several footsteps nearby, all fast paced. Hushed whispers were passed back and forth. His heart rate began to pick up. He knew those voices.

Ness suddenly realized that the voices were headed right towards him. He flattened himself against the wall and put a hand over his mouth to muffle his breathing.

"I'll catch up," Whispered one voice, "I need to cover your tracks."

"Right." Replied another, "Meet you at the dockhouse."

Ness narrowed his eyes. He was tempted to peer out from his hiding place to see what activity was going on, but he knew he couldn't risk being seen.

' _The abandoned dockhouse? What on Earth do they need in there?_ ' He thought quizzically. The storage warehouse near the docks had been empty for ages.

He waited for several more minutes in the darkness and silence, before finally deciding it was safe to come out. Silently, he creeped out from behind the wall on his hands and knees, still staying close to the ground. Any signs of life were now absent. Still keeping his guard up, he slowly got to his feet and brushed off his clothing.

' _No harm in investigating, I suppose._ ' He thought. He approached the closest streetlight and attached himself to it, before stealthily climbing up and jumping over to a nearby roof. Keeping his steps as light as possible, he began to make his way over several rooftops, slipping quietly through the moonlit city. As he began to approach the estimated location of the gunshot, he slowed to a walk, and began to examine the streets. For the first few minutes of searching, all he saw was the same pattern of cobblestone. He pouted, frustrated that he hadn't found anything interesting.

However, once turning to go back the other way, he just barely managed to catch sight of an out of place shadow in the corner of his eye. Ness directed his attention to it. Something rested on the ground below him, though he couldn't tell what it was. He pulled up his sleeves and reared back a few steps, before launching himself from the rooftop and catching himself on another post. Once making it safely to the ground, he cautiously approached the metallic object that had caught his eye. For a moment, he was excited, wondering if he'd perhaps found something valuable. But that excitement was quickly replaced with confusion.

It was a weapon, he realized. A sword. He softly padded over to the abandoned blade. He stared in wonder at how masterfully forged it was. Gingerly, he let his fingers trace over the grip, before he let himself lift it up. Ness held the sword up to the light, observing the brilliant artifact. It highly resembled one of the swords wielded by the soldiers he'd see in town time and time again. This was most definitely a royal weapon. As he turned it over, something dropped and fell to the ground.

Ness looked down in curiosity, and didn't hesitate to bend down and pick up the fallen object. It was a folded up sheet of parchment. Interested, he slowly untied the string holding it in place and unfolded the note. He observed the printing scrawled over it's surface with great thought.

' _Ah, okay...I see..._ ' He thought, nodding his head, ' _...This would probably make a lot more sense if I could read_.'

Deciding he'd find someone the next day to decipher the words for him, he folded up the note once more and stuffed it in his pocket. Now completely confused by the situation at hand, Ness looked back at the sword and set it back on the ground. That's when something else caught his eye.

At first, it looked like animal fur. Just several clusters of discarded strands, strewn about. He picked up a small portion of the strange fluff and observed it in his hand.

' _...Wait..._ ' He squinted to get a better look, ' _...That's hair. This...this is hair!_ '

He quickly retrieved the crumpled note from his pocket and tore it open again. Desperately, he scanned the words for some kind of clue, hoping there was something other than just reading involved. He felt his heart drop to the ground when he finally spotted a word he did know. Upon looking closer, there was no mistake; he knew this word, as it had been taught to him by someone close.

_'Lucas'_.

Ness' blood ran cold. This was Lucas' hair, and most definitely his weapon, he realized. As the memory of the gunshot and mysterious voices came back to him, several thoughts began to flood his mind. Although he wasn't sure what the note said, it had something to do with Lucas, and he wasn't about to abandon it. He considered going to the authorities, but he knew he wasn't on good terms with them. With only one option left, Ness gathered up all the evidence he could find and held it close, before taking off.

* * *

When Claus heard a branch snap and the quick rustling of leaves outside of the weaponry, he instantly went into stealth mode to investigate. The sound came from outside the wooden building. He slowly creeped through the dark room, which was stocked full of every weapon the guards owned. When he reached the threshold and peeked through the door, struggling to see anything through the trees. He made his way outside, eyes narrowed and listening intently.

Suddenly, a quick flash of movement alerted him from the side.

" _Captain!_ " A hushed whisper came from the sudden visitor. Claus let out a cry of surprise and jumped back into a defense stance. Once his eyes adjusted, he realized who he was looking at, hanging upside down from the branch of a nearby tree.

". _..Ness!_ " He hissed, "What are you doing here?"

"You need to see this, it's about Lucas!" Ness hastily explained. Claus saw that the urchin was hanging by his legs, and in his arms, he was clutching what looked like a sword.

"What about him? Is that his sword? Where did you get that?!" Claus asked, keeping his voice as hushed as possible. Ness had already gotten himself off the branch, and landed on his feet in front of him.

"I found it in the middle of the village. And here, look at this," Ness was quick to light a match, and illuminated the tufts of hair he'd collected, as well as the crumpled note. Claus put the sword into his own holster, before leaning in to inspect the evidence. His eyes went wide, and he gasped.

"Is that...?! That's his hair! What does that paper say?" He squinted to read whatever the note said, "Goodness, this is barely readable. I think it-" He stopped.

"What? What does it say?" Ness asked, heart pounding. Claus grit his teeth, as his eyes darkened.

" _Bastards._ " He growled, voice brimming with a sudden rage, "He's been taken."

"What?! You mean  _kidnapped?_ " Ness exclaimed, as he began to follow Claus back into the weapon storage.

"Exactly, and they want payment to get him back." Claus explained, as unsheathed the sword once more and began to grind it against a large stone, sending sparks showering over the ground, "Well, looks like they'll be disappointed, because they're not getting a  _damn thing._ "

"How're we gonna get Lucas back, then?" Ness asked, voice trembling. Claus eyed him from the side.

"We find them, and we kill anybody involved." He said, "You, in the meantime, need to find somewhere safe to stay."

"What? No way, I want to help! Lucas is my-" Ness paused, catching himself, ". _..friend._ "

"You are a  _commoner_ , and you are of no use to me! You'll get yourself killed."

"What if I told you I know where they took him?" Ness asked. Claus narrowed his eyes, glaring at him suspiciously.

"How would you know that?" Claus demanded, advancing on him, "Were you a part of this?!"

"No, no, I promise! You misunderstood!" Ness assured, raising his hands in defense, "I found the sword after I went to investigate, because I heard voices. They mentioned the dock house."

"The abandoned one? That place has been empty for ages." Claus said.

"Which is why they'd probably take him there, because no one goes there anyways!" Ness suggested, "You see? I'm useful! I'm helping, Your 'ighness, whether you like it or not." He defiantly put his hands on his hips.

"Speaking to me in that way could get you  _jailed_ , I hope you're aware." Claus reminded, before sighing, and facing away from him, "...But, you're a good friend of my brother's. And right now, he needs help.  _Fine,_ you will accompany me."

"Great! Because we have to get moving. Ninten is not a merciful person, and-"

" _Ninten?!_  You mean Lucas was taken by  _him?_ " Claus suddenly turned to face Ness again, "That little rat! You better start praying that you're right about the location. The minute I see that pest, I'm going to paint the walls  _red._ " Claus grabbed a handgun off of a shelf and loaded it, before tossing it to Ness, who nearly dropped it several times. When he finally got a grip on the weapon, he stared down at it, then back up at Claus.

"...W-what? I don't know how to use these!" Ness cried, tentatively holding the gun as if it would explode if he moved it too much.

"Well, you'll learn tonight. If we get into a fight, you won't be able to protect yourself with those thin little arms." Claus said, "Listen here, and listen close. We leave the moment I get a group of my best soldiers, alright? You will stay by me, and you will not leave my side unless I instruct you to do so. Understood?"

Even though Claus was younger and shorter, Ness still froze up in fear, and nodded, "U-understood."

"Good. Wait for me at the main gates." Claus sheathed his sword and made his way out of the building, "Off we go."

* * *

Lucas had been awake for hours, but hadn't gotten a single glimpse of where he was. A cloth had been tied over his eyes, blocking his vision. His wrists were bound behind his back, and he had been placed in the back corner of an incredibly musty room. He heard several voices, all hushed. From what he understood, he was being guarded by a few people. He'd tried to figure out an escape plan several times, but considering the state he was in, he decided it would be safest to stay where he was.

His eyes were now tired and wet from crying. Each time it felt like he would be able to calm down, he would think about his family, or Ness, or his kingdom, and how there was a possibility he could die, and the tears would just keep coming. The room he sat in was cold, and he'd been stripped of his waistcoat, left only in a thin undershirt to keep his top half covered. The ground below him was hard and uncomfortable to sit on. Lucas' arms were beginning to ache, due to the position he was tied in.

He took long, deep breaths to calm himself down. He could feel his eyes start to well up again.

' _I'm going to die..._ ' He thought, repeating it to himself again and again, ' _Dear god...I don't want to leave behind Claus..._ '

He sniffled once, letting his head hang. Nearby, he could recognize the voice of Ninten, who groaned.

" _Seriously?_ Not again!" He sighed, "You're a big kid, aren't you?"

Lucas didn't answer, as he began to quietly sob once again to himself. Ninten glared at him, irritated. Lucas turned his head to where he estimated Ninten was.

"I-I don't want to be here..." He choked, voice shaky. Ninten rolled his eyes, walked over to him, and knelt down.

"Oh, don't get all upset, Your Highness." Ninten said, in a mock comforting tone, before replacing it with one of malice, "Soon enough, we'll get exactly what we need, and you'll be off on your way."

Lucas heard the sound of a match being lit, and it instantly reminded him of Ness, only making him cry even more. Ninten, who had lit the match to ignite a nearby candle that had blown out, rolled his eyes again.

"My wrists hurt." Lucas complained.

"You'll just have to deal with that, won't you?" Ninten replied. Hearing the clear agitation in his voice, Lucas decided to see how far he could push.

"But they hurt really _bad!_ " Lucas raised the pitch in his voice.

"Tough."

"I'm _cold!_ It's like winter in here, can't we close a window or something?"

" _Just shut him out, Ninten, just shut him out..._ " Ninten put his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes.

" _Eeyaaah! Dear lord!"_ Lucas screamed, startling Ninten enough to make him jump.

"What?! For god's sake,  _what?_ " Ninten cried.

"There is a spider on my arm, and I insist you get rid of it!"

"Nothing's on your arm."

"This is the _worst day of my entire life!_ " Lucas stomped his foot, turning away and pouting. "You are a horrible, horrible person! Not once in my life have I witnessed such disrespect, such blasphemy, such _rudeness!_ I demand you release me at once, or I am going to throw a _fit!_  And I will not stop said fit until I am let go, am I understood?!"

A new voice came from another room; Kumatora's, "For god's sake, Ninten, what the hell is he going off about? Shut him up, won't you?"

"You think I haven't tried?!" Ninten replied.

"Have any of thou not been taught the practice of proper mannerisms? I should say, sir, that you display an absolutely shocking taste! I swear to our good lord and all that he owns that you will suffer the consequences and wrath of a thousand gods, and will sent to the  _fiery depths of hell like the unholy demons you are!_ " Lucas shrieked, putting just enough dramatic flourish into his words.

"God dammit, that's it! You're getting a towel shoved into your mouth, alright? That'll keep you quiet. I'll be a minute, I need to find one." Ninten muttered, wasting no time leaving the room to go fetch another cloth.

' _You go do that._ ' Lucas thought, satisfied with his performance.

The minute Ninten was gone, Lucas got to his knees and used a foot to navigate his way through the room. He felt a draft coming from his right, and figured that was where the window was. He shifted towards the window and stretched up as far as he could, and was pleased to feel wind on his face. Unsure of how high up he was, Lucas strained to fasten his teeth around one of the metal buttons on his shirt, and tore it from the fabric. He then stretched up again and spat the button out, and listened. A few seconds went by before he heard the clink of the button landing below.

' _Dammit, I'm a few stories up._ ' He thought. However, as he listened, he heard something else; water. The water sounded somewhat deep, and close by. Perhaps, he thought, he could jump out and land safely in the water. All he needed to do was break through his restraints. Once again, he began to search around for something possibly sharp enough to cut through the rope.

Lucas was suddenly startled when he hit a table nearby, knocking several items over. He went silent, listening for any sign of someone coming back, but was relieved to hear nothing. With his foot, he once again began to search through the items, hoping for a knife or something of the sort. However, as he searched, he was caught off guard by something else; a sound that wasn't there before. Lucas sat where he was for several seconds, listening to an odd, crackling sound, which grew louder and louder.

' _What on Earth is that? It sounds like-_ ' Lucas' heart nearly skipped a beat as he realized, ' _Fire. Oh god, the candle."_

Lucas began to feel approaching heat, and scrambled back to the corner of the room. The snapping of flames became much more evident, and he began to panic. He was sitting in a room made entirely of dry, crisp wood, and the fire was slowly growing stronger. He began to smell the accumulating smoke growing in the room.

"Dammit!" He cried, before calling to whoever was outside the room, "U-um, hello? Excuse me, I seem to have caused a slight problem, if you wouldn't mind coming back up here and fixing it? Hello?"

Lucas suddenly yelped in surprise as he heard a crash; the wooden hold of the door had collapsed. Feeling the smoke beginning to invade his lungs, Lucas hurried back to the window and painstakingly stood up.

"Alright, Lucas, it's either die quickly by falling, or die by being slowly burned alive in an agonizing fire. Maybe you'll land on a discarded mattress." He whispered to himself. He inched forwards, estimating how high up the window was from the floor. He lifted one foot and found the windowsill, and prepared to launch himself out. However, upon trying to jump, he found himself falling back into the room. Frustrated, Lucas tried to stand up again, but found that the ropes binding his wrists together had snagged on something he couldn't see.

Adrenaline began to build up as the room became stuffy and hot. Lucas continued to thrash, trying to escape from the ropes, but he found his efforts hopeless. Outside of the room, he could hear panicked yelling, realizing that the fire had reached the lower levels.

"Hey! Hey,  _I'm still here!_ " He yelled, "Please, I'm stuck!  _I can't get myself out! Ninten?!_ "

No one seemed to hear him, because no one came. Lucas continued to scream at the top of his lungs, hoping that someone would somehow hear him and remember that he was trapped, but as he began to choke and cough, he realized that it was for naught. Lucas was bound, blindfolded, and left unable to even stand up, as the heat intensified and the smoke filled his mouth. He threw himself against the wall multiple times, hoping he'd be able to break through it, but this didn't work either.

Once again, his vision began to droop, and everything around him became a blur. Lucas, unable to fight any longer, collapsed against the floor, waiting for it all to be over.

* * *

Ness crept silently behind Claus as they traversed the city, followed by a long line of guards, all armed and prepared to fight. He knew that the docks were far away from where they had started, and it seemed as if they'd been walking for hours. He kept his hands on the gun he'd been given as if it were a child, afraid that any move would set it off. The whole time they walked, his heart raced. He couldn't bare to think about what could've been happening to Lucas. The intrusive idea that he was already dead poked at him several times, but he pushed it away each time.

' _Lucas is smart, and very strong,_ ' He thought, ' _He can take care of himself._ ' But no matter how many times he told himself this, he couldn't push away the thought that something bad was about to happen.

Suddenly, Claus raised a hand, signaling for everyone to stop.

" _Hold it!_ " He whispered, "Does anyone hear that?"

Ness cocked his head to the side, listening intently. After a few seconds, he managed to pick out something. It sounded like a storm, or a crowd of some sort.

"I hear it too." He remarked, "...Someone's yelling."

"No,  _multiple_  people are yelling..." Claus said, "Something's happened. We need to move!"

On cue, the entire group burst into a sprint down the endless streets. Claus led the way, following the sound as best he could. Ness struggled to keep up, nearly tripping as he followed. The closer they got to the source of the sounds, he could hear something crashing. He bit his lip.

' _Oh no...oh no...oh no...!'_ He repeated in his mind, as tension began to rise. He realized that he could smell smoke. Above, past a few buildings, he could see a bright orange glow. He stifled a gasp, as he sped up his pace, ' _Something's on fire. Please don't be the dock house, please, please, god..._ '

But as he rounded the corner, his suspicions were confirmed. He stared up in horror at the abandoned building, now engulfed in flames, contrasting against the dark night sky. Several people were running from the building, and Ness instantly recognized the faces of Ninten's gangmates.

"Apprehend them, all of them!" Claus ordered, and the wave of guards instantly leaped into action. As they came down upon the group of thieves, Ness and Claus desperately scanned the crowd for any sign of Lucas.

"I can't see him!" Ness cried, "Your 'ighness, what if he's still in there?!"

"He's got to be down here somewhere!" Claus replied.

"He's nowhere to be found! He's still inside! I'm going in." Ness decided, throwing off his vest and wrapping it around his face to protect himself from the smoke. Claus instantly grabbed his arm.

"Are you bloody _insane?!_  You'll die in there!" He exclaimed.

"So will Lucas if nobody helps him!  _One minute of his life is worth more than a hundred years in mine!_ " Ness yanked his arm away, and before Claus could grab him, he took off. Claus sprinted after him for a few paces, but slowed to a stop once he lost sight of him.

' _He's an idiot, that boy...! Dear god, help him live..._ ' Claus thought to himself, wincing against the stinging smoke.

He kept a safe distance away, one hand shielding his face. He kept his gaze intently focused on the burning building, searching for any glimpse he could get of Ness or his brother. The terrible thought of Lucas being gone plagued his mind as each second passed. Claus gripped at his jacket so hard that his hand was shaking, and bit his lip nearly to the point of drawing blood. He muttered several prayers under his breath as he watched. Even through the sound of burning wood and several shouts, everything seemed to go silent. By the time about a minute went by, Claus began to lose hope.

Suddenly, there was a sudden shift of movement in the crimson. Claus took a hopeful step forward, squinting to try and see better through the black clouds. A crash of falling wood, a shower of embers, and to Claus' relief, someone half fell, half leaped out of the rubble. They fell to the ground and rolled for a few paces, before slowing to a stop, motionless on the ground. Claus instantly ran to them.

"Ness! Ness, what'd I tell you-" Claus stopped, upon getting a closer look. He suddenly realized who it was, "...Oh my god! Lucas, it's you! Talk to me!"

Claus knelt down and quickly lifted Lucas into a sitting position. He was either unconscious or dead, and the faint heartbeat Claus could pick up confirmed the former. Lucas' hair was choppy and singed, his clothing was nearly burned off, and his entire body was covered head to toe in serious burns and injuries. Claus patted his face a few times to try and get him to stir, but Lucas was out cold. That was when Claus realized Lucas hadn't jumped; he'd been thrown. He looked up, just in time to see Ness dragging himself across the cobblestone, one hand clamped over a wound on his forehead that was bleeding profusely. Claus gently laid Lucas back onto the ground, and turned to his guards.

"He's badly injured, and needs medical attention right away! Take him to the castle hospital ward immediately!" Claus instructed. Once he saw Lucas being picked up and carried to safety, Claus instantly turned and hastily ran to Ness, fastening an arm around his shoulder and struggling to help him stand up. Ness burst into a coughing fit, barely even able to keep his head up. He seemed to be in an even worse state than Lucas, yet somehow, he was awake and breathing.

"Where is he?" He rasped.

"He's safe. What the hell were you doing, for heaven's sake?! You just ran into a burning building!" Claus cried. Ness looked down, averting eye contact. Claus' eyes softened, and he lowered his voice, "...And...you saved my brother's life while doing it. I won't forget that."

Ness managed to reply with a weak smile, before he winced from a sudden headrush. He stumbled, nearly falling, before he finally gave into the smoke inhalation and blood loss, and collapsed. Claus caught him before he could fall, and quickly began to give orders.

"Half of you will stay and work on putting out this fire before it spreads!" He instructed, "As for the rest of you, take these  _vermin_  and put them behind bars. Has anyone gotten their hands on the ringleader?"

"No sign of him, Captain." Replied a nearby soldier. Claus hissed in frustration.

"Dammit. Run a search party, he couldn't have gotten far! I have to get this one to a doctor immediately." Claus said, putting one hand under Ness' back and hoisting him up to carry him. He looked down at the motionless boy grimly; he barely weighed anything. The gash in his forehead was still clotted with blood. Claus untied the blue cravat Ness had around his neck and used it as a bandage, firmly pressing it to the wound. Once he could safely carry Ness without dropping him, Claus quickly sped up to catch up with the one carrying his brother. His blood curdled once again upon seeing how hurt he was.

' _Dear Lord above and fallen mother...I don't ask for much..._ ' Claus thought, ' _But I beg of you and all that is holy, let my brother live. As well, keep his moron of a best friend alive. It's clear how deeply he cares for him_.  _Please, don't take him away from Lucas.'_


	5. The Ugliest Thing

Three days after the incident, and neither Lucas or Ness had woken up. They were thankfully alive and breathing, but showed no signs of waking. Lucas seemed to be healing faster. Ness, however, had managed to get out with two broken legs and several wounds all over his body, the most concerning of which was the large gash left in his forehead. Claus, in the little free time he had, spent all of it sitting with the unconscious boys, waiting for some sign of them stirring. Ninten, as usual, was nowhere to be found. Somehow, the thief always managed to escape, and Claus found himself on his last nerve.

' _Next time I see him, he's dead._ ' Claus thought to himself one morning as he sat down beside Lucas' sleeping form and took off his gloves. He brushed a hand through Lucas' slightly blackened hair and sighed. He looked peaceful when he slept. Claus then reached for a cloth on a table nearby, and placed it in a tray of warm water. As he always did in the morning, he gently padded the cloth at the scabbed over wounds on Lucas' face, scrubbing away any dried blood that had found it's way out. After he finished tending to his brother, Claus shifted the chair over to where Ness lay, and did the same thing. While the hospital staff had insisted that they could take care of the injured boys themselves, Claus had made his decision.

He looked down at Ness with a look of pure gratefulness. He remembered how determined Ness was to take off into the burning dockhouse and retrieve Lucas. He thought back to how terrifying it must've been for him. He glanced down at the outline of Ness' bandaged legs through the sheets, and drew in his bottom lip. He couldn't imagine how much pain he was in. Claus sighed, and raised his right hand to his temple in a soft, but respectful salute.

' _Men like you are an endangered species, Ness._ ' He thought, ' _The Royal Guard thanks you._ '

A sudden sound from behind alerted him. Claus turned to look back at Lucas, who was still motionless. However, Claus realize his mouth was moving ever so slightly. He quickly ran back to his twin and ducked down beside him, inspecting him closely. To his astonishment, he could hear Lucas using his voice, although his eyes were still closed. Lucas whispered something unintelligible.

"Lucas?" Claus murmured, cupping the side of his face, "What'd you say? Are you awake?"

The blond's rambling didn't seem to have any direct focus, and he wasn't forming any coherent words. Claus realized that he was probably talking in his sleep, and sighed in disappointment, beginning to run his hand over Lucas' hair again.

"How frightened you must be, inside your own head." Claus whispered. He let his eyes trail down to observe Lucas' slowly healing injuries. Suddenly, he noticed something he hadn't seen before. Lucas' undershirt had shifted just enough for Claus to notice what looked like a string or some sort. Gingerly, he pulled back the fabric, and confirmed that it was twine strung around his neck. His brow furrowed as he inspected the string, threading it through his fingers. He realized that tied into the string was a broken piece of decorative metal. He couldn't tell what it was supposed to be a piece of, but Lucas obviously treasured it. He turned the object over in his hand. There didn't seem to be anything special about it.

Before Claus had time to observe more, he heard the door swing open behind him. He hastily pulled Lucas' shirt back up and crossed one leg over the other as if nothing had happened.

"Dad!" Claus greeted, upon seeing his father enter the room, "Pleasure to see you here."

"Good morrow, Niclaus," Flint gave a small wave, as he made his way to Lucas' bedside, "Any sign of your brother waking up?"

"Nothing. The nurses predict he should be waking soon, however." Claus explained in an attempt to cheer him up. Flint acknowledged this with an absentminded nod. He put a hand on Lucas' face, running his thumb over his cheek.

"You boys are just so _young..._ " Flint muttered, "How dangerous it is just for you to be alive. Lucas especially. He may be very strong, there's no doubt. But he is still a child, and a frightened one, at that. I pray he grows to be like your mother. Headstrong. Firm. But still kindhearted. Yes, that would be nice. A son who was just like Hinawa. How proud I will be."

"You  _are_  proud of him, yes, father?" Claus asked hopefully.

"As proud as a parent can be." Flint replied, "Oh, yes...so very young..."

Claus bit his lip, noticing how glazed Flint's eyes looked, "...Are you well? You seem incredibly scattered."

"...A-ah. What say you? Scattered?" Flint murmured. He exhaled deeply and looked at Claus from the side grimly, "...I'm...sorry. I'm afraid my head isn't entirely in the right place at the moment. Niclaus...dear child. My days are becoming numbered."

"Don't  _say_ that, father!" Claus protested, putting a hand on Flint's arm.

"You need not give me your pity, boy. I need not your grief. I trust that Dragonstep will be left in proper care," Flint said, moving across to Ness' bedside, and inspecting him, "Is this the young man who retrieved him?"

"Aye, he risked everything, and all for Lucas." Claus said, remembering Ness' alter ego, "...Nesley is his name. He's a good friend of Lucas'. A very kind boy, he is. Lucas plans to hire him as an assistant."

Flint raised his eyebrows in amusement, "Hire? What fun, your brother is beginning to make royal decisions. Wish I had an assistant myself when I was still a prince."

"How do you feel about...you know, who Lucas chose?"

"Any young man who is willing to sacrifice his own life to save Lucas' is obviously very dedicated to him. Besides, I trust in Lucas' decisions. It's important that we both do, as his family." Flint explained, eyeing Claus with a bit of a teasing look, knowing full well that Claus wasn't the best at believing in his brother's choices. Claus nodded, and looked at the floor.

"Of course."

"Keep that head of yours high, Niclaus. Be merry. Your brother is alive, after all." Flint set a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, "Please be sure to provide the proper rooming and hospitality for this Nesley fellow, once he wakes up. I'll be looking forward to meeting the boy who saved my son's life."

"Of course, I'll see to it." Claus dipped his head, standing up to follow his father out of the room, leaving the two unconscious victims alone in peace.

* * *

A nurse kept one hand on the back of Lucas' neck, keeping him slightly suspended upwards. The prince's eyes fluttered slightly, but he showed no signs of opening them. Nearby, Claus stood, watching as several doctors attempted to revive him.

"Alright, nice and easy, Your Highness. Can you sit up for me?" Murmured the nurse guiding him. Lucas, who was still clearly half asleep, gave a soft nod of his head, but didn't move. The nurse sighed, and began to help him into a sitting position, "How are you feeling?"

"My throat hurts." Lucas muttered voicelessly, slowly beginning to drift out of his daze.

"I know, you breathed in so much smoke. It'll hurt for a while. Can you open your eyes?"

"Yes."

Lucas just barely managed to open his eyes, ever so slightly. He flinched against the light, blinking a few times to adjust. His entire body ached, and several places stung. He looked around, realizing he was in the hospital ward. His brow furrowed as he looked around in confusion.

"...What happened? Why on Earth am I in here?" He asked. Claus stepped forward, taking his hand.

"Do you not remember? You were taken, Lucas." He reminded. Lucas' face darkened just for a moment, as the memories came flooding back.

"Oh, yes, that's right..." He breathed, "...And then I knocked a candle to the floor, and the whole room caught fire...I-I was stuck, I couldn't get out, and I was blindfolded, I couldn't see anything! A-and nobody came to help, and I thought I was going to die...!"

"Lucas, ssh, calm yourself!" Claus put both hands on Lucas' shoulders, keeping him still, "You didn't die, okay? You got a bit roughed up, but you're healing. Right now, you just need to relax. You barely got out alive."

"How  _did_  I make it out?" Lucas asked. Claus hesitated telling him the answer.

"...Y-your friend, Nesley. He alerted me that you'd been taken, and when we got there, the building was already ablaze. When he realized that you were still inside, he...he ran in after you." Claus explained. Lucas blinked, shocked.

"H-he saved me?" Lucas stammered, growing panicked again, "Where is he?! Claus, please tell me he survived!"

"He's alive and well, have no worry! He's over there." Claus gestured to the bed beside Lucas'. Ness still laid there, completely still, but he was breathing. Lucas gasped, eyes flashing with worry. He instantly found the strength to let his legs drop over the side of his bed. He collapsed as soon as he got to his feet due to how weak he was, but he proceeded to crawl anyways. Several confused and concerned nurses rushed to help him back up, but he was having none of it.

" _Ness?!_  Ness, it's me, can you hear me?!" Lucas cried, getting back to his feet while leaning on the bedpost.

"Lucas, please sit back down, you'll worsen your injuries!" Claus pleaded.

Lucas ignored him, instead focusing all of his attention on Ness. He brushed a gentle hand through his hair and solemnly looked down at his broken and bruised form. His eyes began to sting as they welled up.

"Oh, lord..." He choked, grabbing onto the fabric of Ness' shirt and burying his face in his shoulder, "You absolute  _cretin_ , what the hell goes on inside that head of yours? What sort of demon possessed you into doing such a thing?! I'm lucky you didn't die, because now I get to kill you myself!"

"Christ, Lucas, let the poor boy go," Claus rushed over to gently guide Lucas away, "If he hadn't done this,  _you'd_  be dead!"

"He can be such an _idiot_  sometimes..." Lucas wiped his eyes repeatedly, letting Claus escort him back to his own bed. He sat down, not taking his eyes off of Ness, "Will he wake soon?"

"We suspect that in the next few days, yes, he will be awake and aware." Replied a nurse.

"Go easy on him once he does, Lucas." Claus said.

Lucas said nothing. He felt immediately guilty for snapping, even though he knew Ness hadn't heard him. The anger and frustration he felt didn't even begin to compare to the overwhelming relief. He was already lucky to have Ness in the first place, and the fact that he could have lost him altogether gave Lucas a new respect for whatever god was up there.

Later on in the day, Lucas was still inside his own mind, contemplating everything.

' _He risked everything for me._ ' He thought, now alone in the large room, laying on his side. He couldn't stop thinking about how this boy, still young and with many years ahead of him, loved him enough to risk losing his life. Lucas watched Ness' chest rise and fall, frightened that if he looked away, he would stop breathing. Each scratch and bruise staining the skin of such a perfect human was evil, Lucas thought. He reached up and under his shirt, relieved to feel the cold touch of the metal piece Ness had given him days ago, which he'd strung around his neck. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if he lost such a precious thing.

Lucas sighed, feeling his eyes begin to grow tired, but he refused to sleep. He didn't want to close his eyes, not once, until Ness was awake. But despite his efforts, he would unknowingly drift into sleep again.

* * *

In some strange medical miracle, Lucas was up on his feet no more than two days later. Although he was well enough to return to his duties, Lucas found it difficult to leave the ward for too long. He'd often find himself wandering back, joining Ness at his side. He was also often distracted by the underlying fear that he would be attacked again. Because of this, he never went anywhere without being armed. Although Claus had assured him that he was safe and would stay safe, Lucas payed him no mind, and continued on in his paranoia. As Lucas grew more reclusive, Claus began to grow irritated at how much his brother was ignoring responsibilities he would usually take incredibly seriously.

However, when he chose to confront Lucas about it, he decided to approach the situation calmly. As usual, he managed to find Lucas in the ward, seated in his usual spot beside Ness. Claus took a deep breath, and made his way over.

"...You missed your training session again today, Lucas." He murmured softly. Lucas barely spared him a glance.

"Did I?" Replied Lucas, "I must've lost track of time."

"You've missed it almost each day this week. I'm...growing worried." Said Claus.

"What is there to be worried about?"

"Lucas, have you not noticed? You've been missing everything. The day of you meeting your future spouse draws nearer, and there's much to be done."

"I cannot leave this room."

"Lucas, I assure you, you are not in danger! We've increased security, you're armed, you're perfectly safe!"

"I can't help but feel like if I leave, I'll be taken again."

Claus sighed, "Lucas, I know that this whole thing has heavily affected you. But you must understand, we've taken extra measure to make sure you are protected. We've doubled, practically  _tripled_  the guards."

"What if when I leave, Ness' health declines?" Lucas asked. His voice was blank and hollow. He was still clearly shaken, as if he was still in shock from the whole event. Claus realized that his brother's mind was clouded. He softened his eyes and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Fear not. Remember, we have a staff of very hardworking women who will do everything in their power to keep him with us," Claus said, "I understand you have a strong friendship with this boy, Lucas. And I understand that he saved you, so it's expected that you'd be very attached. But it seems that he's been...distracting you, almost."

"Distracting? Whatever do you mean by that...?" Lucas instantly sat to attention, a quick hint of alarm flashing through his eyes.

"Well, ever since you started teaching him your ways, you've been focusing less and less on, say...classes that you've been missing for a week." Claus said. He'd accidentally used a tone of voice that conveyed irritation; something he did not mean to do. Lucas eyed him in a slightly passive aggressive manner.

"...You challenge me." He said quietly.

"No!" Claus protested, growing slightly agitated with Lucas' paranoia, "No. I am simply concerned about my brother, is that so hard to believe?"

"Stop being concerned! You'll stress yourself out."

"You're being unreasonable."

" _You're_ being overbearing."

"Well  _you're_  being-" Claus cut himself off, realizing how immature he must've sounded, "Fine, fine. I'll lay off. You're just shaken, is all. I understand. Just please get back on track soon."

"I will. I'm just...so  _frightened_." Lucas shuddered.

"Perhaps all you really need is closure, then. Would it help knowing that we've tracked down most of Ninten's little cohorts? Of course, we haven't caught Ninten  _himself_ , but I don't see how easy it would be to kidnap you all on his own." Claus said.

"I wouldn't underestimate him. I battled him face to face, while he was armed with nothing but a switchblade, and he had me caught in not even a few moments. He's well known for a reason." Lucas murmured. Claus scoffed.

"People say he's  _so_  cunning. Oh, yes. So clever, he got caught no more than a day after he put his plan into action. Give me a break. If only I could get my hands on him. Then we'd see who was _really_  dangerous." He jammed his fist into the palm of his other hand.

"You know, I almost  _want_  to see him again, just so I can give him what he deserves." Lucas smirked, in an attempt to lighten his own spirits, "No one could possibly hate him more than I do. Ness almost died because of him."

"You know, it was his own fault he ran into that dock house."

"Yes, but he never would've thought of doing it if Ninten hadn't threatened my life and kidnapped me," Lucas put a hand up to the side of his head, feeling where a chunk of his hair had been cut off, "...And ruined my hair."

"Ah, yes.  _Bien entendu_ , That's the real tragedy. If only hair could grow back."

"Peevish lot." Lucas sneered, playfully hitting Claus' leg, "I have to thank you for checking in on me. I've been...quite the downer recently, haven't I?"

"As I said, you're healing. Both physically and mentally, I'd say. All you need to know is that you are not going to be taken again, and I promise Ness won't die if you leave him alone for a few moments." Claus said, his voice clearly teasing. Lucas rolled his eyes and giving him a smile back. He watched him as he stood up and approached the door.

"I promise I'll be at the training hall at sunrise sharp tomorrow." Lucas called after him.

"Only one miracle allowed per lifetime, Lucas." Claus replied, giving a wave of his hand, before exiting the ward.

The sound of the door closing echoed through the long, white room. Lucas watched the door for a few moments, an uneasy smile still on his face. He looked down at Ness, who looked as peaceful as ever. Even though his skin was crowded with bruises and bandages, Lucas couldn't find any flaw in such a perfect human being. He intertwined his fingers with Ness', sighing when he didn't feel him squeeze back like he usually did. As he continued to think about how close he came to losing him, the more fire began to build up in his heart. A sudden wave of rage washed over him. He'd been in a trance of sorts ever since he woke up, too paranoid to face reality. However, reality had greeted him in less than a second. He grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He wanted to throw something, he was so enraged.

' _Ninten._ ' He thought, ' _This was his doing._ '

He clenched his hand into a fist. In his mind, he could picture Ninten's face, but was irritated at how he looked just like Ness. How strange, he thought. How two boys could look so alike, yet he was in love with one, but wanted death for the other. Lucas stood up, beginning to pace.

' _That little rodent. He needs to be put in his place, doesn't he?_ ' Lucas mentally spat, ' _I could've lost the most important thing in my life!_ '

"Bastard!" Lucas suddenly exclaimed out loud. Not paying attention, he grabbed the first thing closest to him and propelled it across the room, where it hit the opposing wall with a thud. A few moments passed by in silence, as the frustration and anger began to fade away. As Lucas composed himself, he hastily made his way to where the object had landed. It was then he got a look at what he'd thrown in the first place; the long, curved blade of an amputation knife.

Realizing he must've grabbed it from one of the medical trays nearby, he bent down to retrieve it. However, he stopped just before letting his fingers touch the grip. His eyes traced the blade. How painful it would be, he thought, to be struck by such a tool meant to save lives. He tentatively wrapped his hand around the knife and examined it closer. The rage was beginning to be replaced with something else. Lucas looked back at Ness, once again crushed by how thin of a line there was between survival and death. He once again began to enter his trance, but in an entirely different way.

Oh yes, he thought to himself, as he slowly stood up. Put in his place  _indeed_. He looked outside, noting the darkness of the city streets. Without Ness to light the wicks inside each lamp, the east half of the city looked shadowy and eerie. How easily he'd be able to be hidden, he thought. Lucas absentmindedly pocketed the knife and walked back to Ness, kissing the top of his head and whispering a prayer. For the first time in hours, he threw open the doors to the ward and immediately began to make his way through the halls. The feeling of walking through them without constantly checking his surroundings calmed his troubled mind, though it was still filled with nothing but rage, determination, and grief for a life that could've been lost.

' _I'll save Claus the trouble,_ ' He thought once reaching his bedroom, as he began to change into a pair of street clothes, ' _He was right. What I need is closure_.'

And closure he'd receive very, very soon.

* * *

It didn't take Lucas long to sprint his way into the empty streets. Though it was nearly pitch black, the moon gave him just enough light to navigate. The only sounds were that of his bare feet hitting the stone paths, and his heavy breathing. Adrenaline coursed through his veins like a bird's flight. Whether he was feeling excited or nervous, he couldn't tell. The fuzz in his mind, still remaining from the traumatic event from many days ago, only fueled him. Finally, after what seemed like hours of running through endless streets, he began to hear the gentle rolling of water. He began to run faster, relieved that he'd finally reached his destination. Lucas turned one last corner, and slowed to a walk once spotting exactly what he was looking for; the charred remains of the dock house.

The blackened stalks of remaining beams loomed over him. Surprisingly, a good portion of the building remained intact. A shiver ran down Lucas' spine as he approached the cursed place. As the ground turned from cobblestone to wood, his footsteps became quieter. He strangely felt a sense of calmness as he walked through the burnt threshold. The shadows surrounding him cast painful memories, but the fear only motivated him. He could still smell the scent of smoke hanging around. With each step he took, ash would scatter from the blackened ceiling. He swallowed nervously and stopped in the middle of the room, planting his feet firmly where he stood. He took in a deep breath, and finally found the ability to use his voice.

"I know you're here." He said loud and clear.

Several seconds went by of nothing happening, but Lucas knew. He wasn't sure if it was a gut instinct or a miracle, but every bit of him knew that somewhere, in this building, Ninten was around.

His suspicions were confirmed when he heard the quick shuffling of feet above him. The planks creaked as a shadow passed over one of the illuminated patches of light on the floor. A few moments later, and someone leaped from one of the holes in the ceiling and landed swiftly on the ground. Lucas took a step back as he finally came face to face with exactly who he wanted to see.

"There you are." He muttered.

Ninten narrowed his eyes, which flashed from the dim light. He brushed back his hair and grinned tauntingly. Lucas clenched his jaw; even the way he smiled was exactly like Ness.

"I figured you'd come around." Ninten replied softly, "It was only a matter of time before you would want to try and _change_ me."

"I have not come to change you of your ways." Lucas said, lifting his head up, "Ninten Trinh, by order of your Prince, you will leave Dragonstep and it's people. Where you go, I do not care. But I want to see you gone."

Ninten raised an eyebrow. He looked back at Lucas with a puzzled expression, crossing his arms and leaning to one side. He looked the prince up and down, trying to find a motive. Instead, he decided to take control of the conversation, and changed the subject.

"You know, you have quite a bit of nerve showing up, Your Highness, especially after what happened the last time you and I crossed paths." Ninten purred. He took a few paces towards Lucas, who's first instinct was to back away, but he stood his ground.

"You won't do it again, this I know." Lucas said, "You may be strong, and god knows you're quite the artful dodger. But without your little minions, you're helpless. I am just as skilled as you are. Which is why I'll repeat myself. Leave this country and never come back."

"And if I don't?" Asked Ninten. Lucas glared at him, knowing that he was being toyed with.

"I'll have you know that I have been tasked with giving the next public execution its go-forth. I have no problem telling a line of six gunmen to pull the trigger on scum like you."

"Now _this_  is a side of you I haven't seen. Who would'a thought that our prince, gentle, soft and considerate, would be able to call one of his own subjects  _scum._ "

"You are not a subject of mine!" Lucas hissed, "You aren't worthy."

"A brand of arrogant, are we?" Asked Ninten, circling him. He suddenly stopped behind him, and reared back, "How about this, sire? Say I don't  _want_ to be a subject of yours!"

Lucas turned around just in time to see Ninten sprinting towards him, one hand reached back to his pocket, presumably to retrieve a weapon. Ninten briskly drew something that looked thinner than a knife, almost like a needle of sorts. In one quick motion, he jabbed the pin into the area just below Lucas' neck, near the collarbone. Lucas gasped, instantly shoving him away and clamping a hand over the affected skin. He stumbled a bit, as a violent headrush took hold of him. For several seconds, he struggled to keep himself upright, as his vision blurred and was filled with many colours. Once the lightheaded feeling began to drift away, he managed to set his eyes on Ninten again. He grit his teeth, staring daggers at the thief.

"Explain yourself! What was that?!" Lucas demanded. Each movement he made seemed to lag.

"Just a little something to catch you off guard, love," Ninten explained, putting a hand on his pocket to indicate he had plenty more, "You didn't come here to banish me at all. You came to kill me, didn't you, Lucas?"

Lucas' eyes widened as Ninten pulled something from behind his back; the amputation knife Lucas had kept under the waistline of his pants. He staggered again, patting down the side of his hip that he'd kept the knife, and feeling nothing. He realized that Ninten must've snatched it while he'd been affected by whatever had been put in his bloodstream. Of course, this thief had remarkable pick pocketing skills.

"Give that to me." Lucas ordered, holding out his hand.

"Tch tch tch. I can't do that, you'll kill me!" Ninten teased, tossing the knife from hand to hand, "Actually, perhaps I'm wrong. You wouldn't kill me."

"How would you ever know that?" Lucas spat. He was beginning to grow increasingly agitated, having someone flat out refuse an order from him.

"Because I look too much like  _him_ , don't I?"

Lucas didn't say anything. He only stared back, unable to believe that Ninten would even have the nerve to compare himself to Ness. Ninten sensed his exasperation, deciding to see how far he could push him. Lucas began to feel an underlying fear that Ninten knew much more than he was letting on. His heart began to pound as Ninten began to slowly walk towards him, letting the knife fall to the floor. The blade embedded itself in the ground. Lucas eyed the knife for a few more moments, before looking up to see that Ninten was close enough to touch now. He shivered.

Ninten tipped his head to the side, "I wonder what you're hiding."

"Nothing that concerns you." Lucas defiantly replied, ' _Does he know about Ness and I...?_ '

"Really?" Ninten whispered, "Then, say, you have no trouble with me doing something as simple as...resting my hand upon your shoulder?"

Promptly, Ninten put his hand on Lucas' shoulder. Lucas bit his lip, and shook his head.

"W-why should I have a problem with that? It's n-nothing serious." He stammered, desperately trying to hide the unease in his voice.

"Oh? Then I have another proposition. Hold still for me, won't you? Close your eyes if you want," Ninten murmured, moving his hand from Lucas' shoulder to the side of his face, "No problem, you say?"

Lucas didn't know what he'd been expecting, but he definitely didn't expect to have been kissed. Upon feeling Ninten's lips touch his own, his breathing instantly quickened, and a shocked noise came from the back of his throat. His very first instinct was to instantly push him away, but he began to feel the same high he did with Ness. His heartbeat slowed. He tried to piece together Ninten's motive in his mind, why he would do such a thing so blatantly to his superior. But with a strange mix of both shock and temptation, Lucas found himself kissing back, not sure of his own motive.

But just has he'd let his eyes close, Lucas immediately pulled away, and backing away several steps.

" _No!_ No, no,  _I can't do this!_  This is unjust!" He cried, terrified at his own actions.

"And why's that?" Ninten asked quietly, gleeful to already know the answer.

"B-because I'm in love with Ness!" Lucas instantly covered his mouth after exclaiming his secret. Ninten smirked victoriously, and Lucas finally understood his reasoning. He reacted by hastily running towards him and grabbing him by the collar, "You knew! That was to get me to admit it!"

"Looks like our dearest prince is involved with a bit of a  _scandal_ , isn't he?" Ninten said, enjoying every minute of Lucas' realization.

"You mustn't tell anyone, not a single soul!" Lucas begged, throwing Ninten back against the wall. As usual, Ninten seemed unaffected.

"I must say, I never thought I'd see the day when you would be forced to bow down to  _me,_ " Ninten said, "You've found yourself in quite the situation, I'm afraid. It's almost as if...your entire reputation depends on whether I decide to let this slip or not. Dare I say...you could be killed."

"I _will_ be killed! And so would Ness! Please find any goodness in your heart! I'll do anything!"

Lucas quickly regretted his words, as he saw the light in Ninten's eyes shift. Ninten looked away as if in deep thought.

" _...Anything_ , you say?" He murmured.

"W-wait-"

"Alright, then. If you do mean anything, then here's a proposition. First things first, tell that pesky brother of yours to bug off. Tell him I've died, tell him I've left, whatever. In the meantime, I'll simply change my name and my appearance as much as I can. I'll have simply disappeared, and my name will be cleared, got it?"

"Yes, alright! I can do that!"

"I'm not finished, though," Ninten said, "Remember the ransom I so desired? I'll be needing every single cent of that."

Lucas almost agreed, but quickly stopped himself. Everything hinged on what he said in response. His eyes traced the entire room, as if searching for a sign of what to say. What kind of prince would he be, he thought, if he gave in to such a preposterous request? He was already worthy of shame, after agreeing to mask this boy's identity. But to sacrifice the pride of his family was something entirely different. And if such a large sum of money suddenly went missing, what excuse would he have? The clock was ticking, and Ninten grew more impatient.

"I'm waiting." He muttered.

" _No._ " Lucas replied, "I am the heir to one of the most powerful countries in the world. Our army is feared by other nations. Our population grows bigger by the day. Dragonstep is a proud kingdom, and by no means will it give that much power to someone like you. You should be cowering down from  _me_ , not the other way round!"

Ninten blinked, shocked at Lucas' straightforward response. He hadn't been expecting that at all. Irritated, he sighed.

"Of course you'd deny it. You can't possibly show any signs of weakness..." Ninten muttered, "...If that's the case, then enjoy the dwindling remainder of your  _life_."

Lucas was suddenly shoved away to the side, as Ninten broke out of his grip and took off straight for the entrance. Lucas, fearful of what was going to happen if he didn't act quickly, sprinted after him, bending down as he ran to pull the knife out of the floor. In a split second, he managed to grab Ninten by the arm, and violently yanked him back towards him. Ninten quickly spotted the blade in his hand, and moved quickly to avoid it. The two boys each struggled to overpower the other. Ninten, as usual, was quick and smart with his movements, but unlike the last time, Lucas managed to fight back. Ninten cried out in fear once Lucas forced him to the ground, pinning him down with strength he didn't even know he had.

With a shriek of both anger and determination, Lucas swung the knife downwards and plunged it as hard as he could into just below Ninten's collarbone. Ninten, whilst shouting protests, thrashed to try and break away, but Lucas was only motivated. He swiftly drew the knife out, sending blood spattering against the wall and floor, only to bring it down again, and again, and the cycle just continued. Ninten, surprisingly, continued to try and wrangle away, but with each blow from the knife, he grew weaker. Lucas, at this point, had completely lost touch on where he was and what he was doing. He began to slow down, as his arm was beginning to ache. He wasn't sure how many times he'd stabbed the boy beneath him, but he could see at least a dozen gashes lining his chest and lower neck. Lucas painstakingly pulled the knife out one last time, before relaxing his body and letting the blade clatter to the floor beside him. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling several streams of blood run down his face. His clothing, his hands, and almost everything around him was painted red.

To his shock and frustration, he felt Ninten shift underneath him. Panting, Lucas stared down at him. How he was still alive, Lucas couldn't tell. But somehow, Ninten was breathing, and he was clearly aware, because he looked back up at Lucas will a hateful glint in his eyes. Lucas' heart dropped, upon realizing what he'd done. He looked down at his hands, rubbing the crimson between his fingers. His breathing hitched as he looked Ninten in the eye once more.

"Forgive me." He whispered, his voice quavering. He wasn't sure whether he was talking to Ninten or the lord above.

"...How could I?" Ninten rasped. It sounded like each word took immense physical strength to say. " _...Some prince you are._ "

"I would never kill a man, I...!" Lucas breathed. Ninten scoffed.

"Quite the contradictory statement." He said, before going into a coughing fit from all the blood building up in his throat. Lucas flinched, knowing that he must've been in terrible pain.

"Forgive me,  _please._ " He repeated.

"Forgiveness? For such selfishness? Ah, yes...your life is truly more valuable than mine..."

"I never said such a thing!"

"If you truly didn't think that, you wouldn't have...have..."

Ninten convulsed again, as he spat out another spurt of blood. Lucas, who had finally come to terms with reality, instinctively took his hand. Ninten didn't pull his hand away, to his surprise.

"I-I...I didn't mean to do this." Lucas said.

"We never 'mean' to do things. That's the beauty of everyone, and everything," Ninten's voice was growing weaker, "Beauty, of course. Yes...so very beautiful. That's what people say about you. Look into the eyes of any man or woman you walk past...inner desires are simply hidden. There's no doubting that you are a beautiful thing to look at."

Lucas furrowed his brow. ' _What is he going on about?_ ' He thought.

"But we must remember..." Ninten continued, snickering, "Beauty is truly the ugliest thing this world has to offer. Tell me...there is someone you find to be the most beautiful thing, and...well, I look just like him. Don't I,  _Your Highness?_ "

Upon hearing the sudden malicious tone in Ninten's voice, Lucas froze, gritting his teeth. Now that he thought about it, all he could see, bleeding out underneath him, was Ness.

" _Stop that..._ " Lucas spat.

"Oh, but you can't get it out of your mind, can you? Imagine, what if it was him laying here instead of me? Would you ever want to see what his blood looks like?" Ninten continued to taunt him, raising a blood covered hand and smearing it down the side of Lucas' face. A million shivers went down Lucas' spine.

"Why would I ever wish to see such a thing?!" He cried, feeling the world around him begin to darken. Once again, he began to feel lightheaded.

"Oh, but you already have!" Ninten replied, staring at him with dark eyes, "Brothers share the same blood, after all."

"W-what?" Lucas breathed, fighting back the urge to collapse.

"How does it feel, knowing you've murdered another part of Ness, hm?" Ninten sneered, before letting himself fall back to the ground, staring blankly up at the ceiling. It was quiet for a few moments, as he took in several deep, shaky breaths, "...Ahh, yes...brother of mine..."

Before Lucas gave into the reeling lightheadedness, Ninten had faintly whispered one last thing.

" _...Until we meet again._ "

* * *

With a violent gasp, Lucas sat up in a cold sweat. As he breathed heavily, trying to recount his thoughts, he looked around. There he sat, in the middle of the charred room. Several streams of gentle sunlight drifted through the cracks in the walls, casting patches of light against the ground. Lucas, finally composing himself, sighed in relief.

Suddenly, the memories came flooding back. Horrified at the ungodly actions he'd committed, Lucas shot to his feet with a frightened cry.

" _Domine Iesu, dimitte-"_ Lucas hastily relayed the first prayer coming to his mind while crossing himself, but he trailed off once realizing something that made him feel an emotion he couldn't name.

There was no blood.

Confused and scared, Lucas turned around, observing the entire area around him. The floor, the walls, and even his own clothing was completely rid of any sign of death. He patted at his hip, and his heart dropped upon realizing that the knife was secured at the waist. Outside, birds chirped, and he could hear the crowds of early morning villagers. Lucas came to a conclusion that was both relieving and puzzling.

"It never happened," He murmured under his breath, "Ninten's...still alive."

The whole event must've been a delusion, he thought, upon remembering the needle Ninten had stuck into his neck. Whatever had been injected into his bloodstream had apparently knocked him out, giving Ninten a quick and easy escape. He put a hand over his neck and sighed.

"Never thought I'd ever be relieved to find out I'd been drugged." He said. It had been a long time since he'd had a nightmare this terrifying. However, he knew that soon enough, he'd calm down, just as he did with any other nightmare.

Lucas took out the knife and frowned; whatever kind of mindset he was in last night had almost driven him to sin. Truly, it was the mix of anger and trauma, he thought. He got to his feet and calmly walked outside, relieved that the docks seemed to be empty today. He made his way to the shoreline, where the sand met the water. Taking one look out to the horizon, the glittering reflection of sunlight bouncing off the waves, he reared back, and flung the knife as hard as he could into the sea. It hit the water with a splash many paces away, and Lucas finally felt the sense of closure Claus had been talking about.

However, he still felt a sense of guilt. Although Ninten was alive and well, Lucas could still feel the dripping of blood on his hands. On impulse, not knowing entirely why he was given the urge to do so, he knelt down and plunged his hands into the water, and began scrubbing. For minutes, he scrubbed and scrubbed at his hands to rid himself of the blood that stained them. Why he needed to clear himself of a crime he never committed, he didn't know. But after at least five minutes, he was finally satisfied, though he knew that his hands were nowhere near clean. The fact that he'd even  _planned_  on getting revenge was already frightening enough.

' _Dear lord, Lucas..._ ' He thought to himself as he began to jog his way back home, ' _You mustn't let paranoia get the best of you ever again._ '

As he ran, something else began to plague his mind. In particular, something that he remembered quite clearly from the dream. Something Ninten had said, and he could hear it loud and clear.

' _Brother of mine.'_ " He pondered, ' _What could he have meant by that?_ '

Sure, he could have just brushed it off as just an odd dream occurrence. But why something so direct? So odd? He remembered how painful it felt to look down and see someone almost identical to Ness.

' _Identical._ ' He thought, ' _Just like me and Claus. Ness and Ninten are nearly identical, just like us...except Claus and I are-!_ '

Lucas stopped.

As village life milled on around him, he stared down at the street. A few people stared as they walked past, but Lucas didn't care if people thought he'd gone mad. Ness had never mentioned a sibling apart from his younger sister. But then again, everyone knew that Ninten was found as an infant near the docks, and Ness  _did_  mention that he'd been born on a boat. As the thoughts began to cloud Lucas' mind, his breathing grew laboured.

" _Christ..._ " Lucas muttered to himself, " _Ninten is-_ "

"Hey kid, you sick or somethin'?" The sudden voice of a passing citizen alerted him.

" _Eyah!_ A-ah, um...no, I'm okay," Lucas replied, keeping his head down to avoid being possibly recognized, "I just...came to a very troubling realization, is all."

And as he continued on his way back home, only one thought stuck with him.

' _I really have seen Ness' blood, haven't I?_ ' He thought, ' _Brother of his, indeed._ '

* * *

When Lucas found himself once again at Ness' side that night, he pushed away the vision of blood. Just as he'd promised, he had attended to everything that day, much to the satisfaction of Claus, who was relieved that his brother had found his closure. However, he'd mentioned that several times that day, he'd see Lucas at various sinks, scrubbing at his hands, using copious amounts of soap.

"Don't want to catch the flu," Lucas had told him.

"It's May." Claus had replied.

"You can never been too careful!" Was Lucas' hasty reply.

All day, Lucas could see the imaginary red staining his hands, and it just wasn't coming off. However, in this moment of just being at Ness' bedside, his mind was at peace. He sat, petting his hand over Ness' hair. Claus was expected to meet him here any minute now, as the two brothers were going to get some night reading done. But Lucas couldn't think of that right now. Not after the startling realization he'd made earlier that day, which had been bugging him for hours. He wondered if Ness knew. He wondered that he didn't know, if it would be a good idea to tell him. Surely, if Ness found out, he would be enraged, possibly even guilty. Then again, there was a chance Ness wouldn't even believe him. The only evidence Lucas had was the similar appearances between the two boys, and the circumstances of their births. Not to mention the strange tip he'd been given in his dream. Lucas bit his lip, forcing himself to finally come to terms with the truth. However, this moment did not last, as something spectacular happened; something that completely stole Lucas' attention.

Softly but visibly, Ness' eyes fluttered.

"Ness!" Lucas perked up, cupping his face and patting him a bit. His spirits instantly lifted upon seeing his eyes move again. Lucas moved in closer, "Hey, wake up. It can't be that hard just to open your eyes."

However, Ness did not move, and didn't make a sound. He must've been weak, Lucas decided. He remembered how exhausted he was when he'd woken up. Lucas took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"You can do it, Ness. Come on, up we go." He murmured in gentle encouragement. Ness seemed to stir a bit. His lips parted, and Lucas could hear his breathing. He smiled, his entire body warming up with relief, "Wake up, won't you? I want to see those pretty little eyes of yours. Rise and shine, you hear?"

To Lucas' delight, Ness shifted. Though his eyes didn't open, his mouth did, "Who's that?" He rasped, not entirely knowing where he was.

"It's me, Ness," Lucas whispered, feeling his eyes begin to well up, "It's Lucas."

"...Who...?" Ness' brow furrowed, and finally, his eyes barely managed to open just a bit. He slowly turned his head to look at Lucas, and looked at him as if he didn't recognize him. However, his expression eventually softened, "...Lucas?"

"Yes!" Lucas breathed.

A few more seconds, and Ness slowly began to drift back into reality. He weakly began to sit up, grabbing Lucas' shoulder for support.

"L-Lucas!" He gasped, his voice still quiet and tired, "You're _alive!_  Good god, you're battered, but you're alive!"

"Yes, and so are you!" Lucas replied, letting a tear spill down his cheek, "You haven't any idea how happy I am to hear your voice."

"Oh geez, don't cry, here," Ness reached over and pulled Lucas into a tight hug. Lucas made sure not to hold on too tightly, in case he accidentally injured him. How relieved he was to feel Ness's touch. Ness could hear him begin to cry even more, and snickered out of sympathy and relief, "Come on, love. No need for tears."

"I-I was just s-so...so  _scared!_ " Lucas whimpered, "I c-couldn't imagine going on without you."

"Oh, please. You'd be able to get over a scrap like me in a second if I died." Ness teased, backing away and holding the sides of Lucas' face, "Look at you, you're hurt..."

"I'm fine, I'm fine, honest. I'm healing nicely." Lucas assured. Ness nodded, before glancing around the area he was in.

"Where am I, anyways? This doesn't look like the apothecary's building."

"That's because you're in the castle hospital ward."

Ness glanced back at him with a hint of worry, "Oh no, I am? What about your father, and...?"

"No need to worry. He figured that any man willing to sacrifice himself for me was worthy of being by my side." Lucas said, grinning, "And, well, I may have lied a bit about who you are. Nesley is the son of a peer, now."

"Ah. I don't know what that means." Ness said, "B-but the whole reading thing...?"

"Oh, not to worry. We can fix that," Lucas dismissed, "That doesn't matter now, okay? What matters is that you're here, and you're alive. Even after being in such danger..."

Both boys went silent as they touched their foreheads together, holding each other close. That was, until Lucas suddenly snapped back up, his face displaying clear annoyance.

"And  _speaking_  of that!" He hissed.

"Oh god, here it comes." Ness sighed, bracing himself.

"What in heaven's good name is wrong with you?!" Lucas cried, smacking Ness' arm with each word, "Did you graduate from  _idiot school_?! To run into a death trap like that, you'd have to be crazy!"

"Crazy in  _love,_  you mean." Ness smirked, rubbing his arm to soothe it.

" _Oh mon dieu..."_  Lucas glared up towards the ceiling, "I could have lost you. I'd have to live in a world without you there!"

"And if I hadn't gone in there, I'd have to live in a world without  _you!_ "

"Let me be selfish! You almost died..." Lucas sighed, softening his voice, "...And...you saved my life."

Ness shrugged, "I...I had to. You're too precious to this kingdom." He paused, "And, y'know. Too precious to me."

Lucas felt himself start to tear up again, "What did I do to deserve you, Ness?"

"You and I both know who should be asking that instead of you. I put up a sign that had fallen over once, if that counts."

Lucas couldn't help but tearfully laugh, "You're truly the saviour this town needs." He teased, pulling Ness into another hug, "Alright, I wish I could stay, but I must go soon. My brother should be here any minute, he's expected to meet me here. I think I'll go meet him in the hall."

"I save you from a fiery death and  _this_  is what I get." Ness playfully muttered, straightening up into a sitting position, "Okay, I'll be alright. Some time to myself would be a good idea."

"Remember not to move around too much, okay?" Lucas said as he began to shrug on his coat. After taking a moment to smooth his hair down and brush off his clothes, he looked back at Ness and smiled, "Until tomorrow."

"Of course." Ness replied. Lucas nodded back, before turning away and making his way towards the door. However, Ness spoke again, impulsively, "...Lucas!"

"Hm?" Lucas turned, quickly walking back towards him and not paying any mind towards the door. Ness froze up nervously.

"...I...uh..." He murmured, "...I love you."

Lucas froze as well. In that moment, staring back at Ness, he realized that in the short time they'd shared such a love, neither of them had ever said those words. To hear it coming so clearly from Ness was startling all by itself. He realized he'd been holding his breath, and quickly sighed both nervously and happily. He slowly walked back to Ness, sitting next to him again. He smiled.

"I love you too." He replied. Saying those words for the first time sent a thrill through him, and it clearly did the same to Ness, who was breathing as if he'd been running. Lucas calmed him by putting a hand over top Ness' hand, running his thumb over it. Exchanging comforting glances between each other, they each laughed anxiously. Ness leaned in slightly, and Lucas was quick to excitedly lean in and gently press his lips to Ness'.

Being able to finally kiss Ness after so long brought Lucas a sense of love even stronger than it was before. The kiss had cut off words that neither boy ever needed to say. Although the feeling, the taste, and everything else about it was certainly not foreign to Lucas, each time always brought him a new wave of euphoria. With one hand on Ness' chest and the other intertwining their fingers, he leaned in as close as he could get, not wanting a single gap between them. Everything moved in sync. Each time he would pause to take a breath or he would feel Ness' tongue run over his lips, he just wanted to be closer. Everything was perfect.

However, Lucas had forgotten something key. Just beyond the two, unbeknownst to them, the door was slightly ajar. Lucas, whose eyes were closed, didn't even see the possibility of an unwelcome stare observing them.

In just a quick moment, when Lucas' eyes had opened for just a second, his heart dropped. He broke the kiss with a gasp, backing away several feet, as the colour drained from his face. Ness stared back at him, confused and worried.

"What is it?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder to see whatever Lucas was so terrified of. However, he would come to meet the same fear. In that moment, Ness had almost wished he really had died back in the flames.

Standing just a few paces by, nearly motionless and staring at the two with a look of both shock and betrayal, was Claus.

He said nothing, but his mouth was open, as if he were trying to form words. Lucas also tried to find something to say, finding it almost unbearable to look into his brother's gaze. With each passing second, the tension grew, and Lucas began to feel more and more helpless. Claus, on the other hand, couldn't tell what he was feeling. Lucas reached up a hand slightly, as if to connect with his twin. He could feel his eyes sting, knowing he was about to start crying again, but put all the strength he had into not doing so.

"...C-Claus..." He whispered, before everything came out at once, "Claus, p-please, understand, alright? He'd woken up, you see, and I leaned towards him to inspect the injuries, and I lost my balance, and...oh, you understand, don't you? You get it, right? Claus?"

Lucas had slowly approached his brother in a frantic mess as he rambled, trying to find any possible excuse for what Claus had seen. Claus was still silent, staring back with only the same stunned look. When Lucas was about a foot way from him, he stopped. He could see that everything he was claiming wasn't getting to Claus. As usual, his brother was able to see right through him. He fought back the lump in his throat. Never before had facing his twin been so difficult. Lucas drew in his lower lip and stared at him in despair.

"...Fine, then.  _Now you know._ " He muttered, "Go ahead, say something. You know everything now. This is us, alright? I'm tired of hiding. Your dearest brother, this is who he is. It's your turn to talk, Claus! Go on! Do what you always do! Scorn, scold, do whatever you need to do!  _Nothing you say will hurt me more than what I think of myself on a daily basis!_ "

Claus drew in a sharp breath, as if about to say something, but once again went silent. He narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze to Ness, who averted eye contact shamefully. Claus grit his teeth, before finally resting his sight on Lucas, who glared back defiantly. Lucas braced himself, ready for anything that could possibly come from his aggressive brother, but was surprised by the underwhelming response.

" _A word._ " Claus softly murmured, his voice brimming with clear disgust.

* * *

Lucas faced the wall, hugging himself tightly, fearing for what was about to come next. Behind him, Claus closed the door to the isolated room slowly. He didn't move, and simply stared at it's wooden surface, one hand rested on it's face. Lucas wanted to launch back into a barrage of excuses, but he knew that they would do him no good. He could not hide this time; not anymore. Several seconds ticked by, and with each one, the agonizing silence only tortured Lucas even more. He began to plan what he would say, realizing that he'd have to speak first. He was going to put Claus in his place, he thought. He took in a deep breath, and prepared to speak. However, his heart dropped with Claus suddenly took over.

"What did I tell you?" Claus hissed quietly, not turning away from the door. Lucas held himself even tighter.

"Claus-"

"What did I  _tell_  you, Lucas?" Claus snapped, his voice growing in volume.

Lucas said nothing. He looked back at Claus and took in a shaky breath.

"I-I..."

" _How hard was it?_ You had the world's simplest job, for Christ's sake! Your entire life was planned out for you! And yet, you still find a way to  _screw it up!_ " Claus exclaimed, turning to face him. His eyes were darker and more fierce than Lucas had ever seen them. He took a threatened step back.

"I did  _not_ screw it up!" Lucas countered.

"Are you kidding me?! You're going against everything we've grown up to know! Every day of our lives is dedicated to outdoing those before us. Every second we live is meant to follow tradition, and you've betrayed it! It's bad enough you've engaged with someone of the lowest of class, but you couldn't even find the decency to make it a  _woman!_  You've betrayed tradition, Lucas! You've betrayed me, and you've betrayed our mother!"

" _Don't use her like that!_ Don't you  _dare_  do that to me, Niclaus!"

"And yet you can do  _this_  to  _me?_  I should've known something like this would happen. And yet, I just kept letting you run off, because I was weak. All my life, I've covered for you, I-I've stood up for you, I've kept so many secrets that other brothers would have told on the spot!"

"And you think I am not grateful for that?"

"You sure do have a funny way of showing it!" Claus advanced on Lucas, who stood his ground as firmly as he could.

"Try all you want, but I am not ashamed of my choice." Lucas spat.

"Ah, yes, of course. We can't forget your  _stubbornness_ , can't we? That choice of yours explains everything," Claus began to pace, "The years going by, of you not showing a romantic interest in anyone. No girl appeals to you, no sparks. It's all crystal clear now. You're just...just a  _fairy_ , that's why!"

" _Don't call me that!_ You're my twin for heaven's sake, I would've expected you to understand!" Lucas finally let the tears come, but didn't dare let that come off as a sign of weakness.

"Well I don't, alright? I can't understand how someone with the most desirable life anyone could ask for wasn't just satisfied with doing his job! I knew something was wrong the moment you told me you had met someone new. I knew, oh yes. Something was going to happen. But what a fool I was, I  _helped_  you." Claus conceded. Lucas clenched his hand into a fist.

"Meeting Ness was the  _best_ thing that ever happened to me." Lucas growled.

"He's just making you think that! I wouldn't be surprised if someday, you came running back to me, right after he'd ruined you. It's what people of his kind  _do._ "

"His  _kind?_ There's a 'kind' now?"

There's always been a 'kind', and they'll do anything to survive! Lucas, for god's sake, he  _doesn't love you!_ " Claus exclaimed.

" _And how on Earth and heaven do_ you _know?!_ " Lucas snapped, "You don't get to decide that! You don't even know what he feels for me!"

"What he wants is to keep himself alive! He builds up your trust, and when the time comes, he'll spit at your feet and walk away, without another word! That nancy-boy just wants to use you for all you're worth, and it's  _disgusting!_ "

Lucas had finally had enough. Impulsively, he reached into his holster and swiftly unsheathed his sword, swiping the blade directly towards Claus, but stopping just in front of him. Claus took a step back, shocked, but kept himself composed. Lucas glared back with tear filled eyes.

"You listen here, Niclaus," Lucas snarled, "...You go right on ahead and speak ill of me. Whatever you want, go ahead. But  _don't even think_ about saying a single goddamn word about _him, got it?"_  
  
Claus' eyes trailed to the blade just a few centimetres away from him. His hands were held up in defense, his right one tempted to reach for his holster. He then stared up at Lucas, seeing a fire in his eyes that he'd never seen before. He wanted to do what he always did; to compose himself and try to go along with whatever his brother was up to. But this time, it was just too bizarre.

"You know better on who to pick a fight with, Lucas." Claus dictated. He knew that he was more skilled than Lucas, who also knew this. However, Lucas showed no signs of backing down.

"I dare you to say it again." Lucas muttered, "Then we'll see who _you_ shouldn't pick a fight with."

Claus hesitated for a few moments, before reaching one hand back to rest on his side holster.

" _Disgusting._ " He repeated.

He just barely managed to draw his sword in time to block the immediate attack from Lucas, who charged at him nearly at the speed of light. He stumbled, losing his balance, but swiftly somersaulted backwards and found himself up on his feet again. While Claus had his expertise and training, Lucas had something even more dangerous; rage. Claus found it surprisingly difficult to keep up with every violent slash that was delivered. He struggled to focus, eyes darting to try and follow the enemy blade. The dim light in the room wasn't helping.

Lucas' entire body stung as he brought the sword down again and again, trying to find the perfect moment to catch his opponent off guard. This was putting him through intense pain, as the healing wounds over his body were beginning to stress. But he could barely think of that. All he could think about was how his own brother would even think to insult the person he cared about the most. Never before had Lucas felt so betrayed by someone; his own flesh and blood. He knew his skill didn't match Claus', but he came close, and there was no way he was going to let Claus get away with this.

However, his injuries and his lesser skill began to take it's toll. Lucas' movements were lagging, and he began to fall behind. Claus noticed this. He sidestepped beside Lucas and delivered a swift jab with his elbow, causing him to stagger, but Lucas did not lose his footing. He blocked a sudden blow from Claus, sending a loud metal clang echoing through the room. He pushed against him, trying to force the weapon out of his grip, but his brother was pushing right back. As they did this, they locked gazes, holding intense eye contact. Claus saw that tears were streaming down Lucas' face, either from the pain he was in, or from how upset he was. Lucas saw his twin's eyes change from a look of anger to a look of regret, but just for a second. Claus grit his teeth and leaned back slightly, before shoving all of his weight back towards Lucas.

" _Eyaah!_ " Lucas fell to the ground hard, back up against the wall. His weapon fell from his grip and clattered to the ground beside him. Claus, as he always did, grabbed the sword and prepared to strike with both weapons. Lucas, not seeing any hesitation, cowered back and shielded himself with his arms, waiting to feel the sting from the blades.

But this routine was practically in Claus' muscle memory, and as usual, he stopped right before making any contact with his brother. The entire room went silent. The only sound was the panting coming from Claus and the shaky whimpers coming from Lucas. Claus stared down at Lucas with wide, petrified eyes. The swords he held both shook from the trembling in his hands.

"God  _dammit..._ " He breathed, "Why couldn't you just...just  _do as you were told?_ "

Lucas peered back at him through his arms. Claus continued, his voice growing weaker.

"Y-you could've...just learned your trade...carried on the family name, beared our crest with pride, inherited the throne...you would've met that girl, she'd just adore you...you'd marry her, and..."

Claus went silent, finding the strength to look into Lucas' eyes. In them, he saw the boy he grew up with. He saw every night when Lucas would stay up late with him. Every broken vase Lucas had taken the blame for. He saw everything. He saw his brother, the most important thing in the world. And he'd hurt him. Claus drew in an unstable breath, realizing that he'd started crying. He grit his teeth in frustration. He absolutely hated showing weakness. The fuzz in his mind cleared, as he dropped the weapons, which clattered to the floor. As more and more tears began to spill, he slowly lowered his hands.

"And...you'd be...miserable for the rest of your life." He whispered, "...A-and your heart...it would break, wouldn't it?"

He collapsed to his knees, staring blankly down at the floor.

"Oh god, Lucas..." He choked, "...I want to be so many things, b-but  _I don't want to be the reason your heart breaks...!_ "

Claus finally broke down, and Lucas instantly rushed to him to embrace him. Claus buried his face into his brother's shoulder, knowing that this was affection he did not deserve. He felt Lucas' run his hand through his hair, with the same gentleness he always used. This only made Claus sob more.

" _Sssh_...come on, be a big kid..." Lucas said quietly.

"I can't believe I did that...! What kind of adviser...what kind of  _sibling_ does that?! It's my job to support you!" Claus cried, hiding his face in his hands, "I'm a complete failure as a brother..."

"What? No, Claus, you listen to me, okay?" Lucas quickly approached him and grabbed his wrists firmly enough to make a point, "You listen close. You are the best twin brother anybody could ever ask for. I wouldn't trade you for anyone, understood?"

"B-but I-"

"I know, I know. But I get it, okay? This is new, and it's weird, and you're right. It goes against everything we grew up to learn. But...perhaps that isn't such a bad thing." Lucas said, "I understand you're confused. Hell, I'm confused. Claus, when Ness and I started this..little _affair_  of ours, I was bewildered. I think I still am."

"You are?"

"Yes. Listen, I have plenty to apologize for. I know I'm stubborn, I know I ask too much of you, and I know I act like a child sometimes. I'm immature, I'm entitled, I'm petty...and I'm sorry for all of that. I'm sorry that you had to find out about us this way, and I'm sorry it all came so fast." Lucas scooted closer to him, putting his hands on his shoulders, "But I am not going to apologize for loving him. I'm not sorry for that."

Claus, who still looked incredibly conflicted, only nodded weakly.

Lucas sighed, "I meant what I said. Ness really _is_  the best thing to have ever happened to me. Claus, he makes me feel like more than just a prince, alright? He makes me feel like something better. He makes me feel like...well, like  _Lucas._ " He said, "And that's who he loves. He  _loves_  me, okay? That kiss you saw was  _real,_  and it  _meant_  something. It meant  _everything."_

Claus averted his eyes to the floor. "...Did it?"

"Absolutely. I know this is entirely new to you, but...now more than ever, what I need is your support, okay? And not just because my life is on the line. You don't have to understand yet, that may take time. But I need you be there. Not just for me, but for him," Lucas brushed a stray piece of hair out of Claus' face, and guided his head to look up at him, "I cherish you so,  _so_  much. That will never, ever change. I have so much to thank you for, and I've never done it. But I am begging you, please, from the bottom of my heart. _Please_  give me your support."

"...I..." Claus seemed to have a hard time finding words. He knew the consequences of what he was getting himself into, but at the end of the day, this was who his brother was in love with. Claus knew that Lucas would've done the same for him. He squeezed his eyes shut, before nodding, "...Okay."

"Truly? Cross your heart?" Lucas excitedly asked, the smile returning to his face. Claus gave a weak smile back, wiping his eyes.

"And hope to die." He replied, "I-I don't get it, I don't understand, but...it's my job as your brother to be there. If you say that your love is true, then...there's no reason I shouldn't believe you."

" _You just made me the happiest person in the kingdom!_  In the world, even!" Lucas happily exclaimed, throwing himself at his brother and squeezing him tightly, nearly knocking him over. Claus hugged back, touched by how pleased Lucas was. That was always the most important thing, was his twin's happiness. Lucas sighed in relief, "How I love you so."

"And I, you..." Claus replied softly, "...I don't even know what to say, I-I'm  _sorry_ , I..."

"You mustn't bother yourself with that. I'm sorry too." Lucas said, "My hands have been rid of my troubles..."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing, nothing. Come on, let's get back to the ward. Ness must be worried sick, the poor boy."

As Lucas helped his brother up, they each picked up their respective weapons, and sheathed them. Claus raised his hand to escort Lucas, who obliged, setting his palm over top.

"...Do you think a possible blessing could be given?" Lucas asked as they exited the room. Claus raised an eyebrow, looking at him from the side. He'd returned to his usual, proper demeanor.

"Hmm. Maybe that's more of a 'later' kind of thing."

"What?!"

"You heard me."

"You've already given me your blessing to marry that girl, though!"

"Exactly. I'm no expert, but I believe that I only have so many I can give."

"Boo."

"Very valid argument, Your Highness. You are truly the destined leader."

* * *

When the twins had reentered the hospital ward, Lucas was shocked to find Ness collapsed on the floor, pulling himself across the ground, letting his bandaged legs drag. He quickly rushed over and knelt down to his aid.

"Ness, what on Earth are you doing?" Lucas asked. Ness perked up once seeing him, his eyes filled with anxiety and worry.

"I-I heard yelling! And blades clashing! I wanted to try and stop it, but, ah..." Ness glanced back at his legs, "...I didn't exactly plan ahead."

Lucas couldn't help but snicker at Ness' endearing absentmindedness. He spent a few seconds helping him stand up, before deciding it'd just be easier to hoist him up and carry him instead. Ness gasped in shock, beginning to thrash wildly.

" _Branleur!_  You put me down, you clod! This is embarrassing! Let me go!" Ness cried stubbornly, his face growing redder by the second.

"Let you go? Will do." Lucas smugly dropped Ness, who landed safely on the hospital bed. Ness glared at him for a moment and began to shout something in return, before catching sight of Claus nearby. Ness reacted by grabbing hold of Lucas' arm cautiously. Claus raised a hand of assurance, unsure of how to approach the situation.

"Ness, darling, you mustn't fret, okay? It's okay. He knows, and..." Lucas glanced back at Claus gratefully. He trailed off of his sentence as Claus awkwardly shuffled his way over, clearing his throat.

"U-um..." He began, still feeling guilty about earlier. He simply bowed his head, "I, ah...have to apologize for my rather distasteful attitude."

"...Oh!" Ness raised his eyebrows, quite surprised, "...H'aint a problem, really, Your 'ighness. Suppose it'd be a shock for anyone to find their twin brother locked tight with a poor tailor's boy."

"Yes, yes, of course," Claus said. Lucas truly wasn't kidding when he'd used 'strange' as a way to describe this boy. He approached his bedside, putting one arm at his side and giving the same salute he did days before, "The Royal Guard thanks you for the sparing of our prince's life. You will be remembered."

"...Well, stars and garters, that's mighty sweet of you!" Ness gleefully gave a salute of his own. Claus couldn't help but give a small smile back.

"You are healing nicely, yes?"

"I just woke up, but I'm breathin'."

"I'm glad to hear it, we...we are going to make sure the perpetrators are given proper sentences."

" _La Bascule à Charlot!_ " Ness cried excitedly. "Wham!"

"...Too nice, don't you think?" Claus replied.

"Right. Life in imprisonment is much more torturous."

"Thirty nine nips from the lash, perhaps."

"Why thirty nine?"

"Because forty kills a man." Claus smirked. Lucas was beginning to look sick.

" _Oooookay!_  I didn't know I was in the midst of two sadists! Wait until I'm out of the room before you go off talking about how you're going to torture people. I had a dreadful nightmare yesterday that I do not want to think about," He pushed Ness back into a lying down position, "You need to get rest."

"Ah yes, because being unconscious for a week really takes a lot outta you." Ness playfully rolled his eyes, "But, I won't turn down more sleep."

"What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes," Claus said with a bit of a laugh. He reached out a hand, "Until next time."

Like last time, Ness only stared at his hand, debating whether it was okay to touch him or not. Claus gave him a nod, and Ness happily reached forward to shake his hand. It was a lot faster and rougher than Claus had expected, but he brushed it off respectfully anyways. Lucas, seeing this happen, grinned out of overwhelming relief. He leaned over to softly press his lips to the side of Ness' face, nuzzling him afterwards. Claus watched this, and found himself smiling. He knew that the love these two shared was truly real.

"Ness," Claus said, "...Take care of him. Don't ever let this end, alright?"

"I never planned on it! I promise I'll be the best assistant any prince has ever had!" Ness exclaimed excitedly, before noticing Lucas' irritated gaze, "And, uh...the best lover, of course. That too."

When the twins had said their goodbyes to Ness and left the room, they walked in silence towards the east wing. Lucas sent a look towards his brother, who knew exactly what it meant. Sure, the streets were dark that night, seeing as the lamplighter was bedridden at the moment. However, this did not mean they could not spend some well deserved, well needed time with one another by standing at Lucas' window and looking over their perfect kingdom. As they stood side by side, staring down at the darkness, neither of them said a word. Whether it was due to the fact that neither of them knew what to say, or the fact that nothing needed to be said, the brothers did not bother with words. Their hands resting upon each other on the windowsill and synchronized breathing said everything for them. Claus felt Lucas rest his head on his shoulder, and sighed, knowing how tired he must've been. He winced slightly, remembering the harsh words he'd given, and remembering the rage he felt while locked in battle with him. He turned his head to bury his face into Lucas' hair.

_'I could never, ever hate you, Lucas_ ,' He thought, ' _Always remember that. I may not understand your choice, but it's love. And love is truly a beautiful thing._ '

* * *

All Lucas saw in his dream that night was a pool of water before him. As he knelt down in the black space to dip his fingers into the pool, he looked into the reflection to see two people behind him. To his left, Ninten, staring at him with his dark brown eyes and menacing face. And to his right, Ness, with the same look of admiration he always gave. He scrubbed the blood off of his hands once more, and found that it seemed to seep out of the divots in his skin. The more he tried to wash it off, the more devious Ninten began to look. Ninten turned to Ness, held out his hand to him, and smiled.

The water was gone soon after, and Lucas found himself looking back at the two boys, who were now hand in hand. How similar they looked. As Ness and Ninten began to walk off in some other direction, Lucas knew he was correct. He didn't think he was right; he  _knew_. There was no way he could shake off the reality. Perhaps god had spoken to him, or perhaps he had psychic abilities, as insane as that would be.

But Lucas knew. He knew that, unbeknownst to them, Ness Wyman and Ninten Trinh came from the same blood; the same mother. How beautiful it was.

"Beauty." Was the last word going through Lucas' head as he could feel himself waking up, "...It truly couldn't be the ugliest thing, could it?"

The moment Lucas had opened his eyes, he realized that he was draped over Ness' bedside. He'd gone to visit him late at night, and had obviously fallen asleep. Beside him, of course, was Ness, fast asleep. Lucas sighed, knowing that the poor boy simply had no idea. To tell him of his secret brother would be disastrous, so for now, this was a secret Lucas had to promise to himself not to tell. Sitting up and stretching is arms over his head, and stood up groggily.

It was time to wash his hands again, he thought, trying to blink away the vision of dark crimson staining his gloves.


	6. A Thin Line

Ness concentrated intently on the parchment settled below him. A quill pen sat in his hand, shaking from his unsteady grip. Lucas sat close, watching him as he tentatively pressed the nib to the page and slowly began to scrawl out several letters. Each one was messy, but somewhat readable. Every so often, the ink would fade away, and Ness would carefully dip the pen back into the ink tray, each movement seeming like he needed to be as soft as possible. This was, of course, because he'd already broken two other pens from pressing too hard. The process of learning how to print was painstaking and tough, and Ness could confirm that it was the hardest skill he'd ever had to learn, because of just how tedious the whole thing was. Why humanity couldn't just draw a picture to convey what they meant, he would never know. It would certainly make those terribly boring history books more interesting.

Thankfully, there was Lucas with his gentle voice and encouraging words. Ness couldn't help but feel guilty at how slow paced he was, but Lucas somehow managed to display a level of patience that Ness wouldn't have been able to muster for more than three minutes if it were him. Several times, Ness would apologize repeatedly upon making a mistake and would insist that Lucas didn't waste his time with him. But as always, Lucas would assure him that as long as progress was made, no matter how little, there was no such thing as wasted time.

When Ness finally observed his work and confidentially set the quill on the table, he crossed his arms proudly.

"I h'aint got a single clue of what it says, but I did it." He happily declared. Lucas squinted to read the printing better, which was not easy.

"Well," Lucas began, "It doesn't quite say anything other than a bunch of random letters. But from what I see, you've remembered all twenty six of them."

"That's a start!" Said Ness, "For such a discomfitin' process, I guess."

"Of course. You  _are_  doing quite well, you know." Lucas said, leaning his face in his hand and propping himself up off the table. Ness grinned and shrugged awkwardly.

"Suppose I am. I had quite the teacher." He said with a hint of playful affection. Lucas, who was at a nearby bookshelf putting away a few pamphlets, glanced over his shoulder and smirked.

"Such flattery won't get you extra credit, you know," He paused, taking a moment to put away a book up on a higher shelf that he couldn't quite reach. To his irritation, he found his attempts did no deeds. Ness watched in quiet amusement as Lucas would proceed to try several things, including standing on the tips of his toes, jumping to try and reach, and even trying to climb. None the less, each attempt ended in failure. Lucas stomped his foot with a huff, frustrated, before shamefully turning to Ness, who had already stood up. He wobbled a bit, his nearly healed legs only being supported by two braces on each calf. It had been quite a while ever since the incident at the dockhouse, and most of the injuries suffered by both boys had healed smoothly.

"How much milk do you drink?" Ness asked tauntingly upon taking the book and easily setting it atop the shelf. Lucas watched in silent envy.

"Not enough, apparently," Lucas muttered, yawning, "Goodness, is it ever  _late_."

"Yes, well, I tried to be a good assistant.  _'Your Highness, you simply_ must  _rest yourself. You've got a very important day planned ahead, and we cannot risk you looking tired in front of other royals,_ '" Ness then switched to a much higher pitch of tone to indicate he was speaking as Lucas, " _'Oh please, I can go days without sleep, you foolish, useless boy. In fact, here's some debt, go fetch. You're fired. You're on death row. I hate you.'_ "

"Okay, I do  _not_ sound like that. And for heaven's sake, that is not how the conversation happened. " Lucas said, before going into his own mocking demeanor, " _'Hey, do you wanna sleep?_ ' And then I said,  _'No, I'm okay'_. Big difference."

"Of course, of course. You would never tell me you hated me." Ness said.

"Not to your face, darling, not to your face." He teased, raising a hand and patting his cheek.

"Hilarious. Anyways," Ness put his hands on his shoulders, "In all seriousness, you need to rest. I promised Claus that I'd basically be your mother. I owe him that much, since he's been lighting the lamps for me."

"True, true. He just feels so  _bad_  for what happened when he found out about us, so he wants to help in any way that he can. He says he has no problem doing them for you until you're fit to climb." Lucas explained, gesturing to his legs.

"I'll be sure to tell him that I'm grateful," Ness continued, as Lucas turned to a window nearby, "Go sleep. By this time tomorrow, you'll be surrounded by at least a dozen royal families and every aristocrat the country has to offer. Not to mention, the family you'll be marrying into..."

Ness trailed off, regretting his words. Although Lucas was turned away from him, Ness could see the shift from contentment to sorrow simply from the lowering of his head. He bit his lip and slowly approached him. He joined him at his side, and saw that Lucas' eyes were gazing downwards towards the floor. Ness sighed sadly and reached down to take his hand in an attempt to comfort him. Lucas glanced up with a grateful, but weak smile.

"My entire kingdom, all of my people..." He murmured, "...They'll be praising a loveless engagement."

"I know." Ness replied quietly, "I guess it's just the reality we have to live with."

"In that case, I'd rather live in a dream, then," Lucas said, leaning against the windowsill. Ness wrapped his arms around him from behind and rested his chin on his shoulder. Lucas leaned into him and sighed, "I wish it was you."

"You know I'd marry you in a heartbeat, if I could." Ness assured.

"Me too," Lucas said, "You know, some days I just want to take your hand and just...run. I don't know where we'd go, but we'd be together, and we wouldn't have to worry about standards, or rules, or hiding..."

"Oh, come on, you kidder. You can't leave your kingdom behind."

"I know, and that's what I'm conflicted about. I sometimes just think that this country would find a way without me."

"Quit the modesty! I've lived in that village down there my entire life, and everyone there agrees that you're one of the best heirs this country has seen in years. Hell, I lived in absolute admiration of you for that exact reason." Ness said, "Lucas, you are going to lead this kingdom into prosperity."

"We have a backup..." Lucas said, slightly playfully.

"Claus is obviously great as a leader, but as a king? Bless your brother's soul, but he's just too proud, too aggressive. It's a good thing that you were born five minutes before him." Ness replied, "Besides, imagine how much you'll help the people like you and I."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You don't think we're the only ones hiding such an affair, do you?" Ness asked, "There's got to be plenty of men who feel the same way as you and I do. Plenty of women as well, I'd predict. When you're in charge, imagine the bills you could pass. The laws you could grant. Imagine how many couples will be able to live happily."

Lucas stared out the window in wonder, "...Goodness, I-I...I never thought of that. There probably are others living in such fear, aren't there? How sad..."

"You may be asking for the hand of someone else, but remember the flame we lit. You don't think that'll go out just because of this, do you?" Ness asked, pressing a soft kiss to Lucas' neck.

"It takes more than an arranged marriage to take us down." Lucas confirmed, "I love you. Always."

"You better." Ness murmured teasingly. He pulled away from Lucas, "Here, wait. Gimme a second."

"What're you doing?" Lucas asked with a charmed smiled. Ness seated himself back at the table they'd been sitting at, and dipped the quill into the ink tray once more.

"Watch," Ness said, as he once again began to start writing. He took several seconds to slowly attempt words, but eventually set the pen down again and proudly observed his work. Lucas approached, and Ness gleefully handed him the parchment. Upon it's surface was a quite endearing attempt at writing, but all Lucas could see was another bunch of confused, messy letters.

"Ah, yes...this is... _poetry_ at it's finest," Lucas declared hesitantly, squinting to try and make out what was written. He looked back at Ness, who looked incredibly confident. Lucas raised an eyebrow, "...What does it say?"

"Um,  _hello_ , can  _you_  read? It clearly says ' _I love you_ '." Ness pointed at the chaotic scrawls, tracing his finger along the lines.

"Ness, I'm flattered, but no it doesn't." Lucas admitted sympathetically. Ness' brow furrowed.

"No? Well, I  _did_  guess a lot. What the hell did I write?" He asked.

"A bunch of random letters, again." Said Lucas, "Well, uh... _J'adore_."

"Oh, bug off." Ness playfully rolled his eyes.

"No, really. Here," Lucas folded up the page and stuck it in the inside pocket of his tailcoat, "I'll keep it with me."

"How sweet. Now, do I need to repeat myself, or are you too godly to even be in the same room as your lowly assistant?" Ness asked. Lucas clicked his teeth, irritated.

"You really won't give up until I sleep, hm?" He sighed, "Fine. I'll go up to my quarters."

As Ness walked past him, he paused to lean over and softly whisper to him, "I never said you had to sleep by  _yourself_ , in  _your_  room."

"...Ah, I see," Lucas grinned, realizing what Ness meant, "Is my room not good enough for you, lowly assistant?"

"No, it is, mine's just closer. Best foot forward, Your 'ighness."

As expected, it didn't take long to reach the room Ness was given, tucked away in the back corner of a hall. The door was easy to miss if one wasn't paying attention. Upon entering the small space, Lucas was taken aback by how tiny the area was. It couldn't have been much bigger than a storage space. Ness noticed his shock as he closed the door.

"It's not much, but it's a room. Haven't had one of those in years. Here, look at this," Ness gestured to the bed in the corner, patting the mattress, "See that? That's a  _bed._  Not three wooden crates pushed together. It's kind of a nice change." He let himself fall backwards onto it's surface, sighing in happiness and exhaustion.

"You're sure it's enough? I can always have you put in a larger room." Lucas said, sitting beside him and shrugging off his overcoat.

"It's a roof over me, 'innit? Don't bother," Ness dismissed with a wave of his hand, "I've got my bed, and I've got my desk."

"And a random box."

"Hm?"

"What's with the box?" Lucas pointed to the far corner, where a wooden box sat.

"Oh, that's mine. Well, it  _was_  my father's. He gave it too me before he passed. It's just full of... _things_  that he owned," Ness explained, "A few books, a tailcoat, a couple of ink bottles, things like that."

"Well, it's nice to keep that as a memory of him." Lucas let himself fall to his side, "Goodness, it's a good thing you pestered me. I didn't realize how exhausted I was."

"Don't rest yet, you're on  _my_ side of the bed,  _royal_ ," Ness suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Lucas and hoisted him over to the other side. Lucas gave a yelp of surprise, bursting into a fit of giggles afterwards.

"Pardon me, simple  _commoner._ " He said back over his shoulder. Ness' hold on him only tightened, and Lucas found his attempts to escape useless, "Ness, I have to change."

"Not if I decide you don't have to." Murmured Ness, who showed no signs of letting him go.

Lucas rolled his eyes, leaning into him. After finally being able to rest his head and feeling the warmth of his beloved behind him, it took no more than five minutes for him to drift slowly and peacefully into sleep.

* * *

Lucas heard a few knocks at his door. Not turning away from the mirror he sat in front of, he quickly responded.

"Enter," He called. As he expected, it was Ness who quickly entered, holding a folded bundle.

"Alright, I've retrieved this, as you asked..." He set the garment on the bed nearby, revealing that he himself was already dressed and ready to go. Lucas paused what he was doing and stared, eyes wide, at his assistant through the mirror. Ness was wearing something he'd never seen before; a brilliantly crafted red tailcoat. He turned and quickly stood up.

"Good lord, this has got to be your best work...!" Lucas breathed, rushing over and inspecting the garment, "This looks like something I would wear, quite literally."

"Well, thank you for your praise, but I didn't make it," Ness explained, looking down at himself, "Remember that box you pointed out last night? This was the coat I was talking about. My dad said he bought it from some travelling merchants. It's a little tight, but other than that, I'd say it looks alright."

"Your father certainly had good taste." Lucas replied, as he began to fuss with Ness' hair, which was slightly disheveled.

"Lucas. Lucas, hey, I'm...! I look  _fine!_ " Ness snickered, swatting his hand away.

"You look ravishing." Lucas said, patting the epaulette on his shoulder, "How does it feel, knowing you're going to completely upstage me the minute we walk in there?"

"Don't worry, you have your rice powder." Ness gestured to the mirror desk nearby, "You don't have to worry about people looking at me, because they'll have been blinded the minute you walk in."

Lucas rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling, knowing that he was referring to the layer of white powder he was applying to his face. He picked up the coat Ness had brought in and quickly put it on, before taking a quick moment to observe himself in the mirror. After that, he rushed to the door.

"Perfect, all finished! I'm a bit late, so we'll have to hurry." He said.

"What?!"

Unexpectedly, Ness grabbed Lucas' hand and immediately left the room, breaking into a light jog down the hallway. Lucas trailed behind, confused by Ness' sudden frantic behaviour.

"Be careful...! N-Ness, what's the problem? When I said 'hurry', I didn't mean risk making your legs worse!" He called.

"First day on the job, and  _this_  is my first impression on your father!" Ness fretted rounding a sharp corner.

"He isn't going to  _care."_

"Lucas, you are so ungodly late, you might as well skip to your marriage itself."

"Five minutes is not 'ungodly' late!"

" _Five_  minutes?! I thought you meant one or two, we need to  _run!_ "

Lucas cried out in surprise as Ness suddenly broke into a sprint, nearly pulling him off balance. He kept one hand on his head to prevent his hair from possible messiness. After several corridors and seemingly endless running, the boys finally began to approach the doors to the event hall. The sounds of talking and crowds could already be heard. Ness slowed down to a jog again, relieved.

"Okay, here we are..." Ness panted, "Calm down, okay, Lucas?"

" _Me,_  calm down? How about  _you_  first? You look as if you've seen the dead rise!" Lucas replied, putting his hands on either side of his face to try and calm him.

"Right, you're right, I need to just...breathe..." Ness sighed. Lucas clicked his teeth, jumping to the tips of his toes and hastily kissing him.

"Get yourself together, Nesley. Come on." Lucas wasted no time pushing open the door, much to Ness' horror.

Seeing the event hall completely lit up and in use made Ness' heart drop, as he scrambled to join Lucas' side. He felt his legs begin to tremble as the entire room seemed to go silent, and every pair of eyes turned to look up at the pair. Ness' mouth instantly ran dry. He felt his legs begin to tremble. Lucas, after a few moments of silence, gently nudged him with his elbow. Ness quickly snapped to attention.

"A-announcing!" He began, smoothing out his voice as much as he could and speaking with the cleanest accent he could muster. He could hear his voice echoing as he spoke, "The arrival of h-his Royal Highness, the heir to the throne, P-Prince Lucas of Dragonstep...!"

A light chorus of applause rippled through the crowd below, each guest delighted to see the young master. Lucas gently smiled, bowing his head in acknowledgment, before allowing Ness to escort him down the nearby flight of stairs. He gave his hand a squeeze.

"You didn't faint." He whispered encouragingly.

" _I'm about to..._ " Ness breathed.

Lucas had spotted Claus approaching before he'd reached the bottom of the case. Lucas hastily ran the rest of the way down, Ness following after, and happily rushed to his brother.

"Claus, hello!" He greeted as Claus clasped his hands.

"There you are, you're  _late._  Like always." Claus replied, trying to sound agitated, but unable to hide his amusement.

"Don't get your frock in a rock, it was only a few minutes. I highly doubt Her Highness ran off already."

"Speaking of that, it's about time you two met. Come with me. As for you, Nesley, uhhh..." Claus scanned the surrounding crowd, before his eyes landed on someone familiar. He rushed to her and took her by the arm, "Paula! Hello, I'd like you to meet someone!"

Paula gasped as she was suddenly pulled forwards, "O-oh! Of course, young master...!"

"Wonderful. Paula, meet Nesley. Nesley, meet Paula." Claus led Paula to Ness and gestured to both of them. The two awkwardly exchanged confused glances, before laughing nervously.

"Nesley, right! We've met, I believe. How're your legs?" Paula held out her hand.

"Uh...feeling better, thanks. I remember you as well...!" Ness nodded anxiously, taking her hand and gently kissing the top of it.

"Good, you're acquainted! Nesley, how about you accompany her, hm?" Claus motioned for the two to go do their own thing. Ness and Paula hesitantly obliged, Ness motioning for her to follow. Paula, who seemed delighted to be accompanied by such a lovely boy, gladly did so. As they walked, Ness glanced over his shoulder and shot a playfully exasperated look towards the twins, who both waved smugly and unapologetically.

"I think it should be quite obvious that he doesn't have much experience with women, Claus." Lucas said as Claus began to primp and preen him, smoothing down any ruffles in Lucas' clothes and quickly brushing his hair with his hand.

"Oh, he'll be alright. Do I look presentable?" Claus asked after fussing over his twin.

"You look great. Come on, we mustn't keep her waiting." Lucas took his arm and let him lead the way.

The crowd parted like a river around a stone as the twins made their way past. Several straying gazes followed them, many exchanging admiring whispers, for they were in the close presence of their beloved superiors. Claus looked around as they walked, trying to find what he was looking for. He finally spotted the familiar figure of their father, who was speaking to an obviously royal family. Claus patted Lucas' arm and leaned towards him.

"That's probably them." He whispered, before raising his voice, "Father!"

Flint perked up and turned upon hearing the voice of his son, and seemed to sigh in relief.

"There he is! You'd think he'd try to be more on time." Flint said. As he turned to motion for them to come over, he revealed another person standing in front of him. A young girl, around the same age as the twins, turned in response to their arrival. Lucas easily recognized her as Nana.

"You're right, Claus, it's her. She's really- Claus?" Lucas trailed off when he felt Claus instantly slow down.

Claus did not hear his brother, for his attention had been completely stolen by something else. Upon meeting the icy blue eyes of Nana, he found himself suddenly entranced. With her fair skin and gentle poise, Claus saw something different than what he saw in her picture. Nana, upon spotting him, beamed and waved softly. Claus absentmindedly waved back. Lucas looked at him, confused, before finally understanding what exactly was going on.

"She's  _very_  pretty, hm?" Lucas whispered, nudging his arm teasingly.

"She's...q-quite the spectacle." Claus swallowed nervously and sped up his pace again.

"Alright, boys, come here," Flint said once they approached, before turning to Nana and her parents, "Your Majesties, Your Highness, these are my sons. How about the two of you introduce-"

" _Niclaus!_  I'm Niclaus!" Claus blurted, throwing his hand forward, before noticing the confused stares from those around him and clearing his throat, "...M-my name is Niclaus. You can call me Claus, if that's what suits you."

Nana seemed amused by his sudden manic outburst, for she allowed him to kiss her hand, and gave him a kind smile, "Pleasure, lovely to meet you. And you," She turned to Lucas, "You must be Lucas."

"That'd be me." Lucas respectfully bowed his head, and Nana responded with a soft curtsy.

"Hmm. Well, I'm lucky to have met such nice boys." She said, her eyes trailing back to Claus. She sheepishly played with a bit of her hair, sending a slight grin towards him. Claus sent a tentative, nervous half smile back.

"Natasha? Or...if you'd rather I called you 'Nana'?" Lucas asked.

"Yes, please." She replied.

"Right. Perhaps...uh..." He began, looking to Flint, who nodded subtly. Lucas held out his hand, "...May I...?"

"Oh, of course...!" Nana was quick to link her arm around his, scooting up close. Both waved a bit to their remaining family members, before making their way in the opposite direction. Lucas, who was beginning to grow nervous, opened his mouth to speak. However, Nana was suddenly distracted by the first few notes of music that had begun to play. She excitedly turned to him, "Can you dance?"

"I'm  _quite_  the dancer, I'll have you know." Lucas replied playfully. Nana hastily pulled him towards her.

"Then I think a challenge is in order, yes?" She asked, laughing.

Lucas happily obliged and faced her, charmed by her bubbly demeanor. He began to settle himself into position, but unknowingly placed his left hand upon her shoulder, the motion being in his muscle memory after all the times he'd practiced with Ness. Nana noticed this, and looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Pardon?" She asked. Lucas quickly realized his mistake.

"Oh! Oh goodness, I'm sorry...!" He yanked his hand away and rushed to set it upon her waist, "How embarrassing."

"Not to worry," Nana snickered a bit, endeared. Following the routine they each knew by heart, their movements synced up, and they began to run through the simple steps. Nana gave him a sympathetic glance, "Lucas, are you well? You seem...distracted."

"I'm just tired, is all, really. No need to fret..." He assured.

Nana ducked under his arm and spun to the side, where she was caught by Lucas' other hand. She looked back at him, "You look like you want to be here just as much as I do."

Lucas sighed in relief, realizing that she felt the same way, "If you mean 'not at all', then you've just read my mind."

"I get it. It's not that I'm not enjoying myself, don't get me wrong. You weren't lying when you called yourself," Nana let herself fall back, where she was once again supported by Lucas, who propped her up just above the ground, " _...Quite_  the dancer."

"Was I right, or was I  _right?_ " Lucas replied proudly, "You seem like an enjoyable person yourself."

"Well _that's_  good. Because," Nana said, "...You and I...they expect us to be married, yes?"

Lucas bit his lip, unable to find words for a moment. She wasn't supposed to know. He averted his gaze, "...U-um..."

"Well, that confirms it." She said.

"Aw, geez...I'm  _so_  sorry." Lucas murmured. Nana, however, seemed indifferent.

"Don't worry, I've known for ages. I knew it was an arranged marriage the minute they told me of you." She sighed, "Simply the things we have to deal with as royals."

"I hope this doesn't come between you and someone else...?" Lucas asked.

"Oh, no. I haven't got anyone special. Don't worry about that," Nana said, "And you? Is there someone else?"

Lucas bit his lip, "...I'm afraid there is."

"Aw, now  _I'm_  the one who's sorry." Nana squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, "Who is she?"

"Huh?"

"The 'someone'. Who is she?"

Lucas processed her question for a moment, before realizing that she had no idea who Ness was or what Lucas felt towards him. He searched for words, putting on a confident face.

"W-well, uh... _she's_...I-If I was being honest, I'd have to say that he's-" Lucas froze. His heart practically dropped to the floor, as he rushed to correct himself, " _She!_ She, I said  _she!_ "

Nana looked back at him with a surprised look, much less surprised than Lucas had expected. He instantly almost felt himself tear up, fearing for the worst. He wanted to clarify himself and fix his mistake, but no words came out. Nana blinked, stunned.

"...Oh!" She chirped, "...Oh, I see! You're...like  _that._ "

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut and let his head hang in frustration, letting go of her, " _Shit..._ you weren't supposed to know about that. P-please, I beg of you, don't...don't..."

"I-I had no intent to!" Nana assured, quickly assembling herself back into position, "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to assume so quickly! You needn't worry, I'm good at keeping secrets. So, then. What's _he_  like?"

It was Lucas' turn to be shocked. This was so different from the last time someone had found out about his affair. He swallowed anxiously, blinking away the few tears that threatened to spill. As his pulse slowed down, he once again returned to the proper form.

"Well, um...he's..." Lucas, though tentative with his words, was happy to answer, "He's very sweet, very kindhearted. He's...daring, he's ambitious, almost to the point where it can get dangerous. Good god, can he be an  _idiot_  sometimes."

"He sounds exciting."

"He is. My life was...kind of boring before I met him," Lucas explained, "Most of all, he's quite...strange. Very odd."

"I think odd is good, though. It different." Nana said.

"Yes, thank you! Finally, someone understands that!" Lucas exclaimed happily.

"Of course, of course! Tell me, what does he look like?" Nana asked curiously, obviously enjoying the conversation.

"You know what? Hold on," Lucas scanned the area around him, searching through the crowd. Thankfully, he managed to pick out Ness' face from the group. He was leaning against wall, casually talking to Paula. He pointed, "That pretty creature over there with the red coat."

"Your  _assistant?_ " Nana gasped, mouth open in shock, "That boy you entered with? I should've already guessed, seeing how you _looked_  at him when he announced your arrival."

"I wasn't looking at him, hush up!" Lucas replied, giggling, "...Well, perhaps I was a  _little._ "

"I won't scorn you for doing so, he's a  _very_  handsome boy." Nana admitted, "Well then, I wish the best of luck. It must be quite hard for the two of you to find peace of mind. Does anybody else know?"

"Only one; my brother. His reaction wasn't as positive when he first found out, there was quite a fight that resulted..." Lucas trailed off when he was a flicker of disappointment in Nana's eyes. He was quick to defend his brother, "B-but Claus is on our side! Honest, he changed his stance. He doesn't quite understand, but he's trying, and that's what counts."

"Aww, a true brother," Nana replied, her voice filled with relief.

At that point, the music faded, and another period of gentle applause filled the room. Lucas respectfully bowed to his partner, who curtsied back. They shared a smile. Nearby, many other guests were watching, excitedly gossiping about the clear chemistry they were seeing between the young royals.

Nana sighed in satisfaction, "Well, just look at how much you can connect with someone in a few short minutes. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. You really are one hell of a dancer, princey-pookie."

"You're not too bad yourself. Thanks for...you know, not shunning me and exposing a secret that could possibly cost me my life, and the life of my beloved."

"Your secret's safe with me," Nana assured. Her eyes trailed over Lucas' shoulder, and she perked up, "Oh, uh...Lucas, speaking of that boy, I think he's trying to catch your attention."

"Hm?" Lucas aimlessly turned around, and saw that she was right. Ness, from where he stood, instantly locked eyes with him and hastily motioned for him to come over. Lucas mouthed the word 'why?', but Ness just shook his head and gestured with even more force. Lucas rolled his eyes and turned to Nana, "I know our time together has been short, but is it alright if I go see what he wants?"

Nana grinned slyly, "Go ahead, I'll survive. I'll just go find some other dashing young boy to entertain myself with."

As she'd been speaking, Lucas was looking through the crowd. His eyes finally landed on someone; the familiar face of his brother. Claus seemed to be glancing at them from the side, obviously observing Nana from afar. A wicked idea came to Lucas.

"And I just found the perfect one. Come, come." Lucas began to lead Nana towards his brother. Claus froze up upon being approached, and Lucas cast a smug sneer at him, letting him know full well what he was planning. He felt Nana bashfully squeeze his arm.

"P-Princess! How nice to see you!" Claus stuttered.

"You as well, Claus," Nana shakily greeted, resigning herself to the fate Lucas had sealed.

"How about you two become acquainted?" Lucas suggested, keeping his eyes directly on Claus the entire time. Claus snapped to look at him in horror, his face quickly turning beet red. He then turned back to look at Nana, then back at Lucas, and so on and so forth.

"I-I...um..." Claus searched for words, "Of course, if Her Royal Highness so  _wishes..._ "

"I do! I do wish, yes. Absolutely." Nana quickly interjected. The corner of Claus' mouth quirked.

"O-okay, then, shall we?" Claus came out of his shell just a bit, as he held out his hands, allowing Nana to enthusiastically clasp both of them.

"Lead the way, hehe! Bye, Lucas, it was wonderful meeting you!" Nana called after her shoulder as she and Claus ran off, obviously showing no signs of staying in the event hall as Claus led her towards the back exit, which led outside. To Lucas' relief, no one seemed to spot them.

Satisfied with his flawless matchmaking work, he set off to find Ness.

* * *

Nana sighed upon feeling the cold night air upon her skin. She shivered, to which Claus' noticed.

"Are you cold? Y-you can wear my overcoat...!" Claus offered, as he began to shed off the cutaway.

"No! No, it's okay, it's just a bit chilly. You keep that on. Thank you, though. You're very sweet." Nana said, brushing a bit of hair out of her face and averting her eyes.

Claus hastily nodded and shrugged the coat back on. The two approached a fair sized puddle caused by some rain they'd received earlier in the day, and stopped. Claus drew back, nearly stepping into it.

"Oh, goodness." He muttered, "That wouldn't have been fun."

"It's just  _water_ , Your Highness," Nana teased, suddenly fastening her arms around Claus and hoisting him up. Claus yelped, surprised, before he found himself being set safely on the ground on the other side of the puddle. Claus stood there frozen for a moment as Nana walked right on through, seemingly indifferent to the fact that the bottom of her dress was now soaked. He quickly straightened his posture and cleared his throat, embarrassed by the out of nowhere situation.

"Y-yes, of course, just water." He stammered. Nana anxiously looked back at him, fidgeting with her hands.

"I'm sorry, that was purely on impulse." She said.

"No, that's alright!" Claus assured, brushing himself off, "You're just like my brother, heh...f-freakishly strong for your size."

"Am I?" Nana asked hesitantly, as if shameful of herself.

"Well, yes," Claus said, before leaning in a bit and shrugging, "...I-I like it."

As he offered his arm again, Nana grinned in relief and gladly took it, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, "Of course  _you_ would. Captain of the Royal Guard, huh?"

"A title I hold with pride, yes." Claus said, lifting his head.

"Wow," Nana breathed. She squeezed his upper arm a bit, "You must be strong."

"I...suppose you could say that. I've been trained by only the finest for the past fifteen years," Claus said, trying his best not to sound pretentious, "Strength is but a small part of it, however. Integrity, persistence, and loyalty are the more important things."

" _Are_  they, now?" Nana giggled softly, amused by Claus' attempts to impress her, "Lucas just thinks you're a twat."

" _W-what?!_ " Claus gasped, snapping to look at her. Nana's giggles turned into laughter.

"No, no, he didn't say that," She said, "He's a very charming boy, that Lucas. He'll be a lovely spouse."

"I'm relieved you think so. His history with romance is... _less_  than impressive."

"Really? He seems to be doing quite well with that assistant of his."

Claus stopped, turning towards her with a shocked and concerned expression, "Wait, you  _know?_  Good god...listen, please don't go off telling someone, Lucas could be killed, and-!"

"I'm not going to tell, his secret's safe with me. I have no plans to expose him." Nana said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You needn't worry."

"Are you  _sure?_ " Claus asked, and when Nana replied with a comforting nod, he sighed in relief, "Thank god. I can't believe that reckless little pest  _told_  you."

"He didn't tell, I just figured it out. Poor thing, he looked terrified. Nearly close to tears." Nana explained, "I'll admit, I was shocked when I found out, but what reason do I have to turn against him? When he was describing that boy, his voice sounded so genuine, so passionate. I could _feel_  just how in love he was."

"This is the happiest I've seen him in years, you know. Ness, that's his assistant's name. Goes by 'Nesley'. He's actually quite pleasant. A bit airheaded, I'd say, but he'd do anything for Lucas." Claus murmured, before perking up, "I'm sure you've heard of Lucas' kidnapping a while back?"

" _I did!_  That must have been so frightening! With the fire, and everything." Nana replied, putting a hand to her heart.

"Well, the only reason Lucas survived all of that was because Ness, being the world's biggest moron, went in there while it was  _still on fire_ , and got him out."

"You're joking."

"I'm not. And you know what he said to me before he did it? He said that just a moment of Lucas' own life was worth more than a hundred years in his own." Claus repeated grimly, remembering the look in Ness' frightened eyes when he'd said it, "That was when I realized that Ness' one priority is Lucas. That boy would do anything for him. Flat out sacrificing himself to save him, without a second thought...something I didn't even _try_  to do."

"Don't beat yourself up. You would've done something." Nana said, "You're a wonderful brother."

Claus gave a weak laugh, "Thank you, but...I can't accept that praise."

"Why's that?"

"...Well, w-when I found out about Lucas' little secret, I didn't exactly react the way I should have." Claus solemnly relayed, "I was just...so shocked. I faced him with scorn, with disgust...I turned against the one person I'm supposed to  _be there_  for. Swords were drawn. Words were said that I can never, ever take back..." He trailed off, before sighing, "Lucas deserves someone better."

"Don't say that, Lucas adores you!" Nana said, "So, you overreacted a bit. Nobody's perfect, mistakes will be made."

"I insulted my brother!" Claus insisted.

"And you took responsibility, and you worked to support him." Nana finished Claus' sentence, "And you were forgiven. Lucas forgave you, Claus. Why can't you forgive yourself?"

Claus didn't answer. Nana, still holding his arm, linked her fingers around his own. Claus glanced up at her, flustered. With her being so close to him, speaking such kind words, he could hide the blush that began to grow over the bridge of his nose. He bit his lip and turned to look away sheepishly. He longed to change the subject.

"Y-you're very kind, Princess," Claus stuttered, "I hope that you and I can remain friends after you and Lucas are wed."

"I'd like nothing more." Nana murmured softly, "Come. You must show me the outside of this place."

Claus quickly straightened up and nodded, "O-of course! This right here is a pine forest that was planted generations ago. The pine tree is often seen as the symbol of our kingdom, which is why you see them all over the place. Now, the history of these trees dates back many years..."

* * *

Once Ness saw that Lucas had indeed fulfilled his request of coming to see him after sending Claus and Nana on their way, he broke into a jog to meet him halfway.

"Good evening, dearest," Lucas greeted, pleased to see him, "What is it? Where's Paula?"

"She wasn't feeling well, so she left," Ness explained, taking Lucas' hand unknowingly, "That whole routine back there with that girl...that was lovely."

"Oh, watch your hand, people are around," Lucas whispered, pulling his hand away, but making up for it with a loving glance, "You think so? You'll never believe it. I...may have let our little secret slip."

"W-what?" Ness' unintentionally raised his voice, clamping his hands over his mouth.

"No, shhh, don't fret! She's just like Claus; she's accepting. It's alright." Lucas assured, placing his hands on his shoulders.

"Thank the  _lord,_ " Ness sighed, "I'm...guessing she's not entirely in love with you, then?"

"I'm afraid she isn't. That's alright, though. If her goal was to fall in love tonight, then Claus most _definitely_  has her covered. Those two are more doe eyed than anyone I've ever seen." Lucas said, causing Ness to laugh a bit.

"Aww, I didn't know he had _feelings,_ " Ness said, "Anyways, I'm getting restless. I wanna dance with you."

"As do  _I_ , but you and I both know why we can't do that. Not here." Lucas said.

"H'aint lettin' that stop me. I conjured up an idea, just now." Ness replied, taking his hands and leading him to a more crowded area. Lucas' breath hitched, knowing that people were looking, most likely with confusion. But his trust in Ness allowed him to calm down.

"Okay, what do I do?" Lucas whispered.

"Just play along. Use that wonderful acting of yours." Ness said, winking. Lucas had no time to ask any more questions, because Ness had already backed away a few steps. Lucas could see him shift into character, as his lifted his head, and raised the volume in his voice so that a fair amount of people could hear, "Why  _yes,_ Your Highness! I _do_  think your technique is quite...mediocre, at best."

Lucas blinked, confused and surprised. The few people who had turned in response to Ness' remark seemed shocked, some even exchanging whispers and gasps. Lucas struggled on what to say at first, but upon looking directly into his eyes, he could see that Ness had a solid plan.

"Y-you what?" Lucas hesitantly replied, before growing more comfortable with his performance, "You dare say that to me, common  _servant?_ "

Ness smugly grinned, looking down to inspect his fingernails, "A prince is supposed to know the entire traditional waltz inside and out...do  _you?_ "

"Of course, I know it to perfection. In fact, i know it so well, I know both the men's  _and the women's_  steps." Lucas proudly declared. At this point, the majority of people around them had stopped to watch the exchange.

"Do you, now?" Ness raised an eyebrow, before taking a step towards him and offering his hand, "Prove it."

Lucas sent him a questioning look, hesitantly raising his hand just a bit. Ness, who looked confident in what he was doing, gave a simple nod of his head. Upon glancing around, he noticed that most people had an expression of amusement. He quickly realized what Ness was doing. The guests around them simply thought it was a challenge; a bet.

' _Smart boy._ ' He thought, smiling and resting his hand in Ness', "...Fine. I could do it, couldn't I?"

In response to his question, murmurs and remarks of agreement spread through the surrounding crowd, all in support for their prince. Ness sent him a look that clearly said, ' _What'd I tell you?_ '. Lucas, beginning to relax now, set his hand behind his back, assuming the position of a casual routine. However, Ness took his arm and guided his hand to rest upon his shoulder.

"No, no. If we're going to go through with this challenge, we're going to do it the right way." He taunted, positioning his own hand at Lucas' waist. Though his voice was mocking, his face seemed genuine. Lucas looked back at him, completely ignoring the mass of quiet snickers coming from those who had no idea what the two were truly doing. The chorus of strings slowly began, and the crowd dispersed as each person joined the side of their respective partners. Lucas sighed in relief.

"Very clever." He murmured, "But I'm concerned, I never taught you anything outside of the basics; you don't know the routine itself. Are you sure you don't want me to lead...?"

"Just trust me." Was all Ness said, before pressing gently with his hand, prompting Lucas to shift into motion.

Completely defying what he'd expected, each movement they proceeded to run through was seamless and smooth, much opposed to the first time they'd tried this. Ness, rather than looking down at his feet to make sure he didn't mess up, kept clean eye contact with Lucas, glancing over his shoulder every so often and coordinating each step flawlessly. Lucas found himself growing tense as they faded into the more complicated parts than Ness would always fail to do. But once again, he was proven wrong when each movement went by gracefully. Ness could see how nervous he was, and took the opportunity to lean closer to him, relaying a familiar phrase.

" _Step, step, touch, step, step, touch, step, step, touch..._ " He whispered softly. Lucas realized, in that moment, that Ness knew exactly what he was doing. Thus, he let himself relax, and allowed himself to be led freely.

Once his nervousness faded, Lucas forgot where he was. Within a series of weaving, shifting his weight and effortlessly moving his feet, he'd found a sense of calmness. He knew that anyone watching was watching with amusement, thinking this was simply an innocent, playful challenge he'd accepted. But Lucas didn't care. To be able to engage with Ness in this way out in the open was a luxury he'd most likely never have again. Each moment he spent, his eyes locked with Ness' and not daring to break away, he could feel the heat of the flame they'd lit burning brighter. He'd never thought about how many words could be said, just by something as simple as moving to a simple rhythm, and giving his trust fully.

But of course, as all good things did, it eventually reached the near end. Both boys began to fade back into reality. In his periphery, Lucas could see that some observers had expressions of awe. He himself had the same feeling, as he slowed down, finally pointing his toe and settling to a stop.

The applause was a bit louder this time, several exclamations of encouragement coming from his subjects. Lucas fell away from the position, still looking up at Ness, completely blown away. He gave a nervous laugh, and Ness shrugged a bit.

"Hm. Seems I doubted you, Your Highness." Ness said. Lucas shook his head in delighted disbelief.

"Perhaps...instead, it was  _I_ who doubted _you._ " Lucas replied, much quieter. He then turned to those surrounding him, extending his arms proudly, "And he says I'm  _mediocre at best!_  Clearly, this was a challenge worth having!"

Ness teasingly rolled his eyes, pretending to seem agitated at his loss. Lucas turned his attention back towards him and tipped his head to one side, motioning for him to follow.

"The minute we get outside, the beans with be spilled, got it?" He murmured gleefully.

* * *

Lucas stumbled outside shortly after Ness had, still in bewilderment. They found themselves in a courtyard, bordered nicely by a varied arrangement of gardening. Ness watched him in amusement, holding his hands behind his back. Lucas brushed his hair back, took in a deep breath, and looked up to face him.

"That was  _spectacular._ " He bluntly put forth.

"I told you to trust me, didn't I?" Ness smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets as they began to walk aimlessly side by side.

" _You've_  been  _practicing!_ " Lucas accused happily, "Everything, every  _movement_ , was flawless! You just adore making my pulse race, don't you?"

"It's a hobby I quite enjoy.  _Maybe_  I'd sneak off to a quiet place now and then and practice a few things."

"You planned all of this, didn't you?"

"Dear, dear. You've caught me red handed."

" _Mon dieu..._ " Lucas sighed happily and looked up towards the sky, which was criss-crossed with the branches of trees above them, "Good thinking, making everyone think it was for fun."

"I wish I didn't have to do that." Ness said, picking up a stick and hitting branches with it as he walked past. Lucas sighed, placing his hands behind his back and ducking occasionally to avoid running into any low hanging limbs.

"At least we got to have that time together." Lucas said, "I'm grateful that of all people, Nana was chosen for me. Seriously, she  _apologized_  for assuming you were a girl. She's someone to put our trust in."

"Good. I'll have to meet her at some point." Ness replied. He offered the support of his arm to help Lucas make it over a few large rocks, and Lucas kept their arms linked afterwards.

"Ness..." Lucas murmured, unable to shake off the feeling of guilt, "...I'm so,  _so_  sorry. You know I adore you more than anything in this entire world. Nana is a  _lovely_  girl, but there's nothing there between us, okay?"

"You needn't worry, it's alright. I've already told you of my trust." Ness assured.

"But you're still upset." Lucas said, "You can't hide it from me, okay?  _Talk_  to me, dearest, what's on your mind?"

"I-it's nothing too bad, it's just..." Ness trailed off, before letting his head hang shamefully, "...Actually, it is bad. It's painful, it's agonizing, it...it hurts more than anything I've ever experienced. I mean...you're  _mine._ "

"And yours I will stay!" Lucas replied, satisfied, but also heartbroken that he'd gotten Ness to express his feelings.

"I know, I know, but...there's honestly... _nothing_ I want more than to be the lucky bloke who marries you." Ness responded with a forced laugh.

"You know why we can't. There's not a priest in the country who would allow it."

"That's what frustrates me."

Lucas stopped, turning to face Ness, who he could see clearly from the few streams of light coming through the trees. He smiled softly, running a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck, before linking both arms around his shoulders, "Don't let such a thing bother you. Look at what we have! You have me, I have you, and that's enough. Aren't you usually the one who gives me this exact spiel?"

Ness stifled a snicker and looked down bashfully, tentatively wrapping his arms around Lucas' waist and pulling him close, "Alright, alright. You know, you could apply to be the next motivational town crier."

The prince only replied by scoffing and resting his chin on Ness' shoulder, hugging him tightly. Ness buried his face into Lucas' hair and kissed the top of his head. They stayed like that for a while, completely in silence. He could feel the beating of his heart and the rising and falling of his chest. He ran his hand up his back, annoyed by the thick barrier of several layers of fabric blocking his fingers. Ness snuck his hand to Lucas' hip, untucking his dress shirt and snaking his hand up his back again, this time touching skin. Lucas sighed softly and leaned closer into him in response to the cold touch of his fingers. Ness lightly traced his hand over his back. Every divot, he thought, each pore, each bone in the spine, the shoulder blades, were all the definition of perfection. What a precious, priceless thing Lucas was, he thought. Enough was enough, he decided.

"...I'm not having it." Ness muttered, drawing his hands away and backing up.

"What?" Lucas asked, still in a daze.

"Lucas, I'm not sure how we would make it work, but...god dammit, I've made up my mind," Ness began to pace, "I-I don't know how to do this, or what to say, but I do know that I'm not leaving until I do."

"Ness, what are you talking about?" Lucas asked.

"We lit the flame, and I want to make it burn brighter!" Ness exclaimed, clasping Lucas' hands, "Do you...do you trust me when I say that I will make anything work out for you? No matter what it is, no matter what the cost,  _I will make it work._ "

Lucas stared at him in shock, unable to tell if his heart was racing out of fear or excitement. Ness noticed his hesitation, and hastily reached into his pocket to grab something; a single match. Though he had nothing to strike it upon, he held it between the two anyways.

"Tell me, Lucas," Ness said, "Do you see that flame, even though it isn't there?"

Lucas looked at the match, and as he'd expected, he visualized a clear, bright flame. Though there was nothing there, it was the most vibrant, beautiful crimson flame he'd ever seen. He took in a shaky breath and looked back up to Ness.

"I do." He breathed, "Yes, I see it."

Ness nodded, and swallowed nervously, putting the match away.

"Alright, then." He said, "O-okay. Alright. Oh boy...L-Lucas?"

"Yes?" Lucas replied, still confused, but slowly realizing what was going on.

"I-I'm not so sure how to do this." Ness admitted, "But...I'm gonna do it."

"Okay." Lucas nodded, his voice already cracking. Ness nodded as well. He bit his lip, taking one of Lucas' hands.

"So, then..." He began, "You...you make me feel like  _someone_ , okay? This, what we have, is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I may not have had such a happy beginning to my life, but I wouldn't trade this for the world. I never really thought I'd make it somewhere, I-I just thought I'd live my life and die from sickness, just another poor urchin that no one would notice was gone..."

" _Heaven above..._ " Lucas dropped his gaze to the ground, hiding the sudden tears in his eyes, " _You big sap..._ "

"I'm sorry, don't cry!" Ness laughed a bit, guiding his head up to look at him, "I mean it, I do. I know I've got a long way to go, there's so much for me to learn that we'd be here all night to let me list it. But...I want you there with me, every step of the way."

He stopped for a moment, cupping Lucas' face.

"...Can you do that for me?" He asked.

"Without hesitation." Lucas whispered.

"Good. I don't know how it'll happen, or when. It may take years. But I want this, and so do you. Lucas, prince of Dragonstep, heir to the throne and royal excellence," Ness took a deep breath, squeezed his hand, and looked him directly in the eye, "Would you...C-could I...? Um..."

Ness looked up to the sky, taking a moment to compose himself.

"May I...May I ask for your hand?" He finally managed to stammer out, "...P-please?"

All bets were off for Lucas at that point. His breath hitched and he collapsed into a mess of tears, falling into Ness and nearly knocking him over. Ness stumbled, grabbing onto his arms to keep him upright. Lucas buried his face into his shoulder. Ness laughed nervously, trying to calm his trembling hands.

"Lucas...!" He looked down at him, "I'm guessing that's a yes?"

Lucas lifted his head, revealing his tear stained mess of a face, and struggled to form words. However, through his sobs, he couldn't seem to. So instead, he simply nodded his head with a hum of agreement. Ness sighed in relief and pulled him close again, eyes wide in shock. He felt Lucas' weight drop a bit, and the two both collapsed to their knees, still holding one another. Lucas covered his mouth with his hand, letting his head hang. Ness looked back at him sympathetically, rubbing his arm to comfort him.

"Goodness, who's the sap now?" Ness snickered. He could feel his own voice waver a bit, but he didn't dare let himself cry in front of Lucas. As usual, Lucas replied to the jeer with a playful, soft swat across the arm.

" _Stick a match in it..._ " He laughed through his tears, "This...this is happening, isn't it? I'll marry you someday."

"It would seem so. I don't know how the hell we'll do it...I don't care if I have to grow out my hair and don a corset, but I'll do whatever it takes." Ness promised, taking his hands and helping him shakily stand up, "But we mustn't think about that for now. How are you feeling?"

Lucas wiped his eyes and grinned, "I've never been better."

"Neither have I," Ness admitted, "This doesn't feel real. I feel like this is some fever dream I'm having. Are you sure I didn't actually pass out after announcing your arrival?"

"I assure you, you're very much awake. Face it. You're stuck with me, now." Lucas said, "Th-though, I can't quite believe it either. We're...we're to be wed."

"Yes," Ness replied, his eyes widening, "Dear lord. Forgive me, reality is settling in a bit. I just asked you to marry me. You said  _yes._  Good god, I'm getting  _married!_ Me, of all people!"

"Quite the shocker, isn't it?" Lucas chuckled.

" _That's_  an understatement..." Breathed Ness, who still seemed to be coming to terms with what had just happened, "...Heh...I can't believe I built up the courage to even do that. That's amazing. _I'm_  amazing. I'm so great!"

"That, you are." Lucas nodded, amused by his rambling. He found himself suddenly being lifted by Ness, who squeezed tightly. Lucas yelped and grabbed onto his shoulders for dear life. Ness looked up at him, now unable to contain his excitement.

"I'm very happy!" He exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I-I can tell!"

"I don't know why I picked you up!"

"...Happiness, I'm guessing?"

"Yes, that's it! Happiness!  _Because that's all I'm feeling!_ " Ness set Lucas down again, "I love you!"

"I love you too...!" Lucas stammered, trying process all that was going on.

"Here, let's get you all cleaned up, they'll be missing you inside." Ness began to smooth down Lucas' clothing and fix up any bits and pieces of him that were out of line. He wiped any remaining wetness from Lucas' face and sighed in satisfaction, "There. Time to forget that any of that just happened."

"I don't  _want_  to forget, though." Lucas murmured.

"Well, better not let it slip, then." Ness whispered, putting a finger over his mouth.

"Can we go inside, now?" Lucas asked, his voice a bit muffled and squished by Ness' finger.

"About time we do. You have to go get engaged to a second person." Ness smirked, taking his hand away. He then kissed Lucas' forehead and offered his arm, which Lucas took quickly. "Shall we?"

"Briskly." Lucas nodded.

* * *

"Nana! Nana, guess what?!"

When Nana turned around, she stumbled back a bit and put a hand to her heart, startled by the sudden appearance of Lucas, who seemed somewhat disheveled and filthy. Other than that, he looked incredibly delighted about something. She ran to him through the crowd, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What on Earth happened to you?" Nana asked.

"You'll never guess." Lucas panted.

"Well, tell me then!" Nana urged, laughing nervously.

"W-well..." Lucas took her hands and looked her straight in the eye, "...Seems that I'm to be engaged to  _two_  people tonight."

Nana's brow furrowed as she took a moment to process, before she finally realized what he meant with a gasp. She grabbed his arms enthusiastically, shaking him a bit.

"You...?"

" _Yes!_ "

" _Really?!_ " Nana's voice was hushed, but her tone was full of excitement, "Lucas, that's wonderful! How happy you must be! How will you do it?"

"We're not sure, but all we know is that we'll make it happen." Lucas assured.

"Yes, keep your eyes on that silver lining!" Nana said, "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you, love," Lucas gave her a grateful nod, "Now. Since that's done...I suppose it's about time to get this over with then, yes?"

"All these people came to see just that. Might as well do it." Nana grinned. Lucas smiled back, and took a step back, holding one arm pinned behind his back, and the other in front. A few people had already spotted him, excitedly crowding around the scene, awaiting the moment they'd been rooting for ever since they'd received news of Lucas' birth. Claus had also caught them, watching nearby. He seemed proud, but Lucas could see a slight glimmer of sadness in his eyes. He couldn't help but feel guilty, but he knew his duty.

"Princess Natasha of Magicant," Lucas spoke, raising the volume slightly. He caught the attention of his father and Nana's family as well, who watched in anticipation. Lucas continued, "Tonight, I will ask you to grant me the honor of joining you by your side for years to come. Together, we will lead each subject under our ruling. I cannot think of anyone more suitable than you to stand by me."

Lucas could see Nana begin to roll her eyes playfully. He stifled laughter, and struggled to continue with composure.

"Your Highness," He said loud and clear, before extending his hand, "May I ask for your hand?"

Each person in the room held their breath as Nana hesitated, before she gently rested her palm upon his.

"You may." She nodded.

As a chorus of satisfied murmurs and light clapping echoed from the crowd. Nana gave Lucas' hand a bit of a squeeze, and they sent each other a knowing look. Nearby, Lucas could see Flint holding his hands in prayer position, most likely out of relief. Even Claus approached the two and proceeded to give his best wishes to both. Lucas saw that when he turned to Nana, both of them smiled bashfully with a glint in their eyes. They whispered a bit to each other, but Lucas didn't hear.

The country of Dragonstep was lively that night with the exciting news of their beloved prince's engagement. Even though the entire event was planned and staged by both Lucas and Nana, Lucas couldn't escape the feeling of joy. Little did anybody know, he was internally celebrating something else entirely. And though Nana and Claus were the only other ones who knew, Lucas didn't care. Things didn't calm down until the early hours of the morning, when the skies were still dark. Lucas, finally able to rest, trudged to his room in exhaustion. With his ears ringing and his entire body aching with the need for sleep, he couldn't think about anything except for how excited he was to rest.

However, upon entering his room, Lucas was startled to see that someone was already there; Ness. Ness turned in response to the door opening, and a long period of silence dragged on. Both boys wanted to say something, but neither could. Lucas, eventually overwhelmed with joy and emotion, gave a small, delighted laugh and broke into a sprint towards Ness, who met him halfway and hugged him tightly. Again, nothing but silence. But silence, it seemed, was all they needed. Ness pulled back a bit and burrowed his face into Lucas' collar, leaving a trail of gentle kisses up his neck, to the side of his jaw, before eventually meeting his lips. Lucas smiled into the kiss and put his hand on Ness' cheek, before Ness broke away to look him in the eyes.

"I will make this work." He murmured, putting his hand over top of the one on his cheek.

"Ah-ah-ah," Lucas shook his head with a wave of his finger, " _We_  will make this work. We're a team now."

Ness smirked, shrugging in an 'I guess' sort of way, "Right, of course. What was I thinking?"

He pulled Lucas back into an embrace and rested his chin on his head.

"A team. I like the sound of that."


	7. Click, Boom

Lucas flinched upon feeling a slight sting in his thigh.

"Ow! Okay, Ness, you're doing that on purpose." He muttered, looking down to see his assistant crouched beside him, a needle and thread in hand. Ness looked back up at him, drawing his hands away quickly.

"I did not! It was an accident!" He promised, carefully pinning the needle back into the torn seam in Lucas' pants, "Perhaps you should stop moving so much."

"I have been as still as a statue, thank you very much." Lucas countered.

"A statue in a _hurricane._ " Ness replied.

Both boys laughed a bit at their playful banter. Lucas relaxed his shoulders and looked at himself in the tall mirror in front of him, as Ness continued to mend the tear caused by snagging his leg on a branch earlier. It hadn't even been a week since Lucas' engagement, and excitement in the kingdom was only growing. Of course, no one had any idea what was truly going on behind the scenes. Lucas was mostly amused by the obvious connection between Nana and his brother. Claus would often become flustered and deny anything that suggested that they were anything other than friends. But poor Claus was strictly under the radar of Lucas, who would find any excuse to pester his brother. For the past few days, all four royals found their lives to be rather peaceful.

So, neither Lucas or Ness had expected to hear a sudden barrage of yelling nearby.

They each perked up at the sound. Outside the room, several rushed footsteps went by, with a collection of shouts. The shouting sounded alarmed. The two turned to look at each other, each concerned. Lucas nodded, prompting Ness to bite the thread loose and get to his feet, before they hastily exited the room to investigate. A group of guards from Claus' corps rushed past. Lucas couldn't figure out what the fuss was about, but he didn't want to avoid finding out. Motioning for Ness to follow with a tip of his head, he took off after the group. Despite the yells of protest insisting that Lucas stay safe and hidden, he dismissed them, continuing to follow. As Lucas and Ness followed the group towards the front entrance, they each began to realize from the exchanging words of the guards that Claus had returned from a patrol early. He'd found something.

There was already a large crowd in the front courtyard. Lucas squinted against the sunlight, jut barely managing to make out a scuffle in the center of the crowd. He glanced back at Ness, who had the same confused, uneased expression. Carefully, Lucas prodded his way through the group, cautious of what he would find. Ness trailed close behind. The surrounding people parted as Lucas made his way through. His heartbeat increased from the yelling and high tension, until he finally broke through the crowd and came across a collection of guards violently restraining someone, a hooded person, to the ground. Behind them were several other hooded captives, each being restrained as well. And the one closest to the prisoner, keeping them pinned down and struggling to keep them still, was Claus.

"Claus, for heaven's sake, what's going on?!" Lucas cried, kneeling down and putting a hand on Claus' shoulder. Claus looked up to acknowledge him for a split second, before turning back to his captive, who was obviously incredibly strong.

"Bloody idiot decided to just... _throw_  himself into trouble, he did!" Claus spat, "What an ego he has, even daring to show his face around here!"

"Who? Claus, don't suffocate the poor creature, who is this?!" Begged Lucas. Claus, who looked back up at him with a fiery glimmer in his eyes and a victorious grin, panted a bit to compose himself.

"Who is this? Oh, trust me, you'll be happy to see this one," Claus hissed, grabbing the hood of his prisoner and throwing it off. Lucas gasped, backing away a few steps, while Claus glared down at his captive with bloodthirsty satisfaction, "Who else, but the most  _renowned thief in Dragonstep?_ "

"Ninten!" Lucas breathed. Ninten snapped to look at him with his amber eyes, seeming as if he was in intense pain. This fight had obviously been quite violent, because a trail of blood was streaming from his nose and another traced from his forehead and down his face.

"Look at what we have here! Good day,  _sire!_ " Ninten growled with mock delight, "How happy I am to see you."

"You have quite a bit of nerve, showing up here," Lucas narrowed his eyes, before turning to Claus, "What is he doing here?"

"Ask him yourself, because he won't tell _me._ I found him just outside the gates, trying to climb over. He says he wanted to see you specifically." Claus explained, tightening his grip on Ninten's arms as the thief thrashed from under him.

"Well? Speak up! Explain yourself, and that's an order." Lucas instructed.

"Gladly. First of all, I know what you were trying to do that night, Your Highness." Ninten taunted. His voice shook with anticipation, "I know full well."

Lucas' blood ran cold, as he knew exactly what Ninten was talking about. He quickly motioned for Claus to let go of the fiend. Claus, though hesitant and confused, released his grasp and kept a close distance. Ninten scrambled to his feet, relieved to finally be free, but didn't have long to relish the feeling, a Lucas had fastened an iron grip on his arm.

" _You dare speak of that night?_ " He whispered harshly, remembering the horrid dream he'd had as a result of Ninten drugging him.

"It's one of the reasons I'm here. Let me tell you, Young Lord, I have never lost, not before you ruined our little scheme a while back. I have my reputation for a reason," Ninten declared, a if he were proud of it, "Dear prince. This little visit of mine is about one thing. Something that every man requires to have, I'd say. And that is honour. Wouldn't you say that you'd do anything for it?"

"I have all the honour I need, because I've worked to deserve it. You haven't got a single  _particle_  of it. You lost any remainder the moment you laid a finger on me."

"Well then, if that's the case, then perhaps I should get that back, yes?"

"If you can work to earn it, then absolutely. I'm sure plenty of community service and reformation would be a good start." Lucas said quietly, somewhat unsure of what Ninten was trying to do.

Ninten smirked, "I was thinking of something a bit more... _efficient_. Something I can just get over with."

Lucas held his breath, trying to hide his trembling hands. With how unpredictable the thief could be, his mind could barely put together a sensible answer. Even while surrounded by highly trained guards, he still felt slightly unsafe. Looking at Ninten, who was fully alive and breathing, sent an uneasy shiver through his body. Lucas wondered if perhaps, this was a dream, and the events at the charred dockhouse many nights ago were all real. He spared a glance down at his hands. He saw no blood. He took in a tentative breath.

"...A-and what is that?" He asked. Ninten's face remained the same, the only difference being the slight quirk of the corner of his mouth.

"Prince Lucas of Dragonstep, heir to the throne. I've come to reclaim my honour, in the only way someone like me can," Ninten announced, raising his voice from a whisper to a full on projection. He narrowed his eyes and continued, "Your Highness, I challenge you to a  _duel._ "

A collective gasp, and each head turned to Lucas, who froze and took a step back. Ninten, who seemed pleased by the reaction, confidently lifted his head, waiting for an answer. Lucas swallowed nervously, standing his ground.

"W-what say you? A duel?" He stammered, "Who then, pray tell, is your second?"

Ninten wasted no time turning over his shoulder and facing one of the other captured ones, and jerked his head a bit to signal something. The hooded person, who was suddenly released by the guard restraining them, stepped forward and lifted their hood, exposing a familiar face, one that sent Ness nearly running.

Duster.

The poor man had obviously taken a downfall. His eyes, now sunken and dull, had nothing but the desire for revenge glimmering in them. His previously neat brown hair was now disheveled and scruffy, and his face was dirtied. Lucas gripped the fabric of his coat anxiously, eyeing Ness from the side. Ness and Duster had clearly made eye contact, and were now staring each other down.

"My good friend Duster here would  _love_  to volunteer." Ninten began, "This man has been through some tough times lately. Turns out, he's been in some pretty crippling debt. And his main source of income mysteriously _vanished_  a few months ago. The peerage took nearly everything he owns, you see. So, he came to me in his time of need."

' _Pathetic._ ' Lucas thought, putting a hand on Ness' arm to remind him to keep calm.

"So? I have my offer, my backup, and myself. What'll it be?" Ninten asked again, as Duster walked up to join him.

Claus was the first one to break out of his shock, followed by Ness. Both of them rushed to Lucas' side.

"I'm not having it. There is no way I'm allowing this!" Claus whispered, grabbing his brother's shoulder.

"And since when do you decide for me, Claus?" Lucas challenged, "A man can't back down from a duel, are you  _mad?_ "

"And if you die? Hm? What then, Lucas?"

"At least I'll have died with dignity, not as some coward!"

"This kingdom  _needs_  you and your guidance."

"What kind of prince would I be if I was spineless enough to turn down a duel against a lowly thief? If I refuse, I'm giving him what he wants. I'm giving into his satisfaction, is what I'm doing!" Lucas said, "You can't stop me from accepting."

The two seemed to challenge each other with eye contact alone, but for once, Claus was the one to lose. He sighed and hung his head, before looking back up.

"No longer are you a child, Lucas," He murmured under his breath, "Fine. You're right, I can't stop you. But  _you_  can't stop  _me_ from being your backup."

" _I_ can!" Ness suddenly stepped forward, " _I_  can stop you. I will be his second."

" _What?_ " Both Lucas and Claus gasped in unison.

"Lucas, you remember what Duster did to me. You remember clearly, don't you? I want this. I've wanted this for ages." Ness muttered, eyes dark and sinister, " _I will be his second._ "

"Lucas  _needs_  you." Claus said, advancing on him.

"And this kingdom needs  _you."_ Ness countered, "More than it needs me."

Claus took a moment to think, brow furrowed. He then gave one bow of his head, and backed away. Lucas looked back at Ness with frightened eyes, but Ness gave him an assuring look back. Once nodding to each other, they each turned to face the enemy.

"What are your terms?" Lucas called.

"Simple, really. If you win, then you have free reign to do whatever you want with me." Ninten said carelessly, "But if I win, well...I'll just have the ability to say I killed you. That's something not many men can claim."

Lucas bit his lip, staring ahead grimly. He could see Claus look at him, begging him not to agree, but Lucas payed him no mind.

"Fine." He replied, "Weapons?"

"Your call."

" _Your_ challenge."

"Scared to call, are we?" Ninten taunted.

Lucas growled in frustration, before giving a simple response, "Swords."

Ninten clicked his teeth, "Typical."

"And for the seconds, if things go wrong?" Lucas asked.

"Guns!" Ness suddenly intervened, cutting off Duster's reply, "We should use guns."

"Ness, both you and Duster need to agree-" Lucas insisted, before being interrupted.

"No, I  _love_  the enthusiasm! Guns it is." Duster called, his voice brimming with spite. Ninten smiled in satisfaction.

"There. Now, we have everything we need, except for your word." Ninten said, "We need an answer."

" _I think I've made my answer quite clear._ " Lucas spat.

"Then what are we waiting for? I say we commence now!" Ness said, barely keeping his eyes off of Duster.

"We can't just launch into it! We'd have to have the whole kingdom in attendance, all the organization...!" Claus began.

"No. No one finds out about this!" Lucas insisted, "That isn't fair to my subjects. This is a battle that needs no preparation. Ninten, I'll give you and your cohort five minutes at best. Then, we commence."

"Fine by me." Ninten replied.

* * *

Five minutes had easily come and gone, as each side debated and talked with each other. Lucas stood by with Ness, who seemed just as frightened as he was. Claus stood nearby, on guard to make sure that no trouble occurred. Next to him was Nana, who clung to his arm nervously, watching as the minutes went on.

"Alright, Ness. I have exactly twenty seconds to teach you everything about dueling." Lucas said, as Ness listened intently, "If I remember correctly, you will go in first to try and settle the argument with Duster. Don't lose your temper and don't pull anything, or else we automatically lose. You will only step in if I die, or I'm too injured to keep fighting. You will face him respectfully, before turning heel and taking exactly ten steps, not too big, not too small. Claus will be coaching, so he will guide you."

"What happens after ten steps?" Ness asked.

"Well..." Lucas sighed, trailing off, "...With the luck of the lord on your side, you turn again, shoot, and pray that you're faster."

Ness nodded grimly, "Here's hoping he has a bad aim."

"Why were you so insistent on guns in the first place? How is  _your_  aim?"

"Relax, and trust me," Ness murmured, drawing the gun from his holster and loading it. He held the weapon confidently, turning his head to look at Claus, "You're not the only twin who's been teaching me things."

Lucas looked at Claus as well, and understood what Ness meant. He gave a simple nod of his head, before letting his head rest against Ness' shoulder.

"I'm frightened." He whispered. Ness, not being able to do much with so many witnesses around them, simply put a hand on his shoulder.

"As am I. He's probably just as scared." He assured, "You're the most talented swordsman I know."

"I may be skilled, but so is he." Lucas said, "If I die today, remember that you are the most important thing in my life. If the time comes where you must fight in my place, do so with pride."

"You will  _not_  die today. That I'm sure of." Ness confirmed, "Come. He's ready."

"Wait," Lucas stopped him, "Ness, if I am lost...please,  _please_ take care of Claus, and take care of my kingdom. Advise him as you would advise me."

"You have my word." Ness gave him a weak smile.

"Right, then."

With one last look towards each other, they turned and approached the opposite team, who was already prepared and ready. Ninten had been supplied with one of the swords from the weapon stockade, which he held improperly. Lucas pleaded that the thief was just a very confident amateur. Duster stood close behind him, once again staring down Ness. Lucas and Ninten approached each other, stopping nearly inches away.

"Your Highness, with all due respect," Ninten murmured with a smug tone, "Your glances cut like a blade through bone."

Lucas narrowed his eyes, "Well, then. Daggers drawn, I  _glare_  at you." He darkly replied. He saw what looked like uncertainty or fear cross Ninten's face, but the thief did not waver.

"Let's allow our seconds to try and amend the issue, yes?"

"Let's."

With that, the two slowly backed away, allowing Duster and Ness to replace their spots. Lucas held his breath as he backed away out of earshot. He stared intently at the exchange, watching the two talk with quiet voices. He begged to know what they were saying, though he knew that neither of them had any intent of ending the brawl. Judging by the fact that both men had clenched fists, Lucas knew that things were going to get worse before they got better. His heart stopped with every step they would take towards each other, or every time a voice was even slightly raised. The entire courtyard was silent with anticipation. Lucas caught the eye of Claus, who blinked, as if to comfort him from afar. Nana, who watched with curiosity, also turned his way, instead giving him an assuring smile.

Attention was suddenly brought back to the seconds, as Ness angrily turned around, heel scraping against the gravel. Duster did the same afterwards. Ness glared down at the ground as he walked. Once he approached Lucas and met his eyes, he leaned in to whisper to him.

" _Kill the bastard._ " He snarled.

Lucas guessed that the words they had exchanged were not pleasant ones.

"W-will both duelers please step to the center?" Claus called, his voice wavering.

Lucas took a deep breath, one hand rested on the grip on his sword. He slowly made his way towards Ninten, feeling the eyes of everyone staring him down. He stopped just a few feet away from his opponent, who showed no signs of anxiety. Claus made his way to the two, holding one arm out between them.

"Does either opponent hold any objections? Anything to say to the other?" Claus asked.

"I have thousands of things to say," Lucas simply replied, "But being a good Christian boy, I cannot say them."

"I have plenty, but let's not waste time." Ninten said. Lucas wanted to attack him just by the taunt in his voice alone.

"The duel will commence when I give the word," Claus relayed, having coached many times before, "Time is no issue. The last man standing will remain victorious. If either of you are dead or too damaged to fight, then that is when your cohorts will step in and fight in your place. Are there any questions?"

Both Lucas and Ninten shook their heads. Claus pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Please draw your weapons and take a stance." He instructed. Both boys obliged. Lucas noticed that Ninten's stance was painfully incorrect. A feeling of hope flickered within him.

Several seconds dragged on. The silence was beginning to gnaw at Lucas. Every person surrounding them stood completely still, as they waited for the call. Ness stared ahead, hugging himself tightly, as he took several terrified breaths. His mouth moved ever so slightly as he whispered several prayers. Claus eyed each of them to assure that no stunts would be pulled. He hesitantly took in a deep inhale, squeezing his eyes shut, before drawing his arm away and leaving both swordsmen exposed.

" _Commencer!_ "

Lucas wasted not even a second delivering a swift affondo, which Ninten just barely dodged by jumping back. He countered the attack by swiping from the side, and the blades clashed with a loud clang. The courtyard turned battleground instantly became filled with the shouting from both guards and castle staff alike. Heart racing, Lucas pin pointed each attack that Ninten threw at him, the adrenaline in his body fueling him. To Lucas' shock, Ninten was surprisingly skilled. He fought back with a strange technique that Lucas had never seen before. Where he'd learned such foreign techniques, he didn't know. But there was no time to focus on such things. He spotted an exposed opening and brought down a fendente. Ninten seemed caught off guard and once again dodged just in time, but stumbled a bit. He fell backwards, and continued to block each strike as he struggled to get back to his feet.

In Lucas' periphery, he could see Claus, Nana, and Ness all shouting over each other, desperately calling to him with their encouragement. Lucas just barely blocked a sudden swipe from Ninten, and the force from the unexpected attack threw him back. He skidded against the ground just a bit, and took a moment to yank off his gloves with his teeth to get a better grip on the handle. Lucas, now a fair distance away from Ninten, broke into a sprint towards him and slid past him, ducking under the other's blade and swiping from behind. The sword made a long, clean cut through Ninten's clothing, and judging by the sharp, pained breath Ninten drew in, Lucas knew that he'd cut skin as well. Ninten swerved around to block another blow. The swords collided, and the two opponents pushed against each other's weight to try and overpower the other, before Lucas finally managed to throw Ninten off. Ninten began to deliver strange attacks towards Lucas' arms, rather than his more vulnerable front. Lucas, confused about the technique, was struck by the opposing blade on his left arm. He stifled a cry of pain as the burning seethed up his arm and the sleeve of his coat quickly turned red.

' _He's going for my wrists...!_ ' He realized, ' _Impressive tactic, but not good enough.'_

Lucas sheathed his sword under his arm, swiftly delivering a sharp jab with his elbow to Ninten's jaw. Ninten stumbled back, allowing Lucas to push away the blade and go for his now exposed front. He sliced through Ninten's shoulder, sending blood spattering against the ground. Ninten cried out and ran back a few steps to avoid another hit, ignoring the searing pain. As Lucas tried to strike again, Ninten gave a sharp kick to his arm, knocking the weapon out of Lucas' grip, before delivering another kick to Lucas' chest, sending him hitting the ground again. Lucas tried to scramble up again, but Ninten had already dropped to pin him down. Lucas saw him raise the blade, reminding him of an all too familiar dream. Ninten, completely loosing sense of where he was, pushed the blade downwards. However, his aim faltered, and Lucas felt the cold metal jam through his shoulder. Instantly, his entire arm went numb.

" _No!_ " Ness shrieked, as Claus grabbed him by the arms, stopping him from intervening.

Tears began to well up in Lucas' eyes from the paralyzing agony he was being put through. Ninten, dissatisfied with his poor aim, began to pull on the sword to get it out and strike again. But Lucas, who knew what he was doing, grabbed the handle of the sword and forced it to stay where it was. The adrenaline began to rush even faster through his veins as Lucas put blind strength into keeping the blade embedded in his body. As he did so, he weakly inched his hand towards his discarded weapon, which lay just outside his reach. Ninten, seeing victory so close, was too distracted to notice. Lucas' vision began to grow blurry and dizzying, but he refused to give up so easily. He desperately tried to reach the sword, just barely managing to rest his fingers on the grip, but just far away enough to be unable to grab it.

To his horror, his strength began to fade away as Ninten began to overpower him, slowly drawing the blade out of Lucas' shoulder. Lucas couldn't muffle his agonized shriek this time. Ninten couldn't help but breathlessly laugh, amused by the Prince's cries. He finally yanked the sword free, revealing a weapon smeared with blood reflecting against the sun.

" _Lucas!_ " Claus cried, while still forcefully restraining Ness.

"Long live the kingdom of Dragonstep, and long live its _king!_ " Ninten screamed, aiming once again.

Before Lucas could give in, he felt one last surge of strength rush through his body. He clawed outwards again, this time feeling his hand hit the handle of his weapon. As Ninten brought the sword down again, Lucas grabbed the handle, and with one last surge of effort, he threw his weight to the side. Ninten was struck forcefully by the edge, which sliced across his face and sent him falling back. Ninten fell motionless, hitting the ground with a muffled thump. Lucas fell back as well, relaxing his body and gasping for air as he clamped both hands over his shoulder wound, which bled profusely.

Claus, realizing that there was no way Lucas would be able to fight any longer, let go of Ness, and the two instantly sprinted to his aid. When Claus guided his brother into a sitting position, he flinched at the stream of blood exiting his mouth. Ness took his hand and brushed his dirtied hair out of his face.

"Lucas, hold on...! That was too close..." Claus breathed, motioning for the standing by doctor to assist him.

" _W-wait!_  Wait...! Is he dead...?!" Lucas desperately asked, sounding weaker and weaker by the moment.

"Is he defeated?" Claus called to Duster, who had come to the aid of Ninten. Duster hesitantly pressed a hand to Ninten's neck to feel for a pulse. He felt for a moment, before drawing his hand away.

"He lives!" He replied, "He's unconscious."

As Lucas was lifted up by Claus and passed on to the staff member, he reached over to Ness with a bloodied hand, barely managing to touch his face.

"F-for the kingdom, Ness..." He rasped.

Ness, now hit with the realization that it was his turn, watched helplessly as Lucas was taken from him to a safer location. He snapped back to look at Duster, who seemed to realize the same thing. They met each other's eyes, and each gaze instantly darkened. Ness turned to Claus, who only nodded.

"The duelers have each been left unable to fight any longer, but a fatality has not occurred!" Claus announced, silencing the paranoid murmur, "Will the seconds please meet at the center of the dueling grounds!"

Still in shock from watching the violent sword fight, Ness shakily made his way forwards. Ninten's unconscious body was cleared away, and Ness approached Duster eye to eye.

"I've waited for this opportunity for  _months._ " Duster growled.

"Don't raise your own hopes." Ness responded.

The two each bowed their head in mock respect. Claus once again put an arm between the opponents.

"On the count of ten, you will draw your weapons and fire at will. If no shot hits, you will go again. Please face away from each other, and when I begin to count you down, please put your best foot forward and step away from each other," Claus explained, as Ness and Duster turned away from each other. Claus continued, "Please draw your weapons and assure that they are loaded properly."

Ness pulled out his hand gun and inspected it, running through everything Claus had taught him. Again, another deafening silence hung in the air. But then, nearly startling Ness, Claus began.

"One," Claus projected, prompting Ness to take a single step forward. His heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest. "Two."

With each step Ness took, it felt like he was waiting for ten thousand counts rather than ten. Three, four, five, six...

"Seven...Eight..." Ness murmured under his breath. Another crunch of gravel underneath his feet. He nearly dropped the gun several times. He closed his eyes. "...Nine...Ten...!"

The two duelers stopped. A quick moment of only quiet.

" _Draw!_ " Ordered Claus.

On command, Ness sharply turned at a speed he didn't know he could muster, thrusting out his weapon, instantly pinpointing his aim, and practically shoving the trigger. He squeezed his eyes shut as the loud blast of both guns sounded and slowly faded away into echoes. Ness slowly opened his eyes again as the smell of gunpowder caught his attention. Before him, he saw Duster, in the same stance, gun held towards him. They both breathed heavily as they tried to piece together what had happened. Ness was completely clueless, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, Ness' legs gave out, and he collapsed, realizing that he'd been hit. Though he couldn't feel where the bullet had struck him, he knew that it was somewhere. Claus quickly ran to his side to help him sit up, and Ness looked down to see that his right leg was bleeding.

" _Thank god, it was only in the leg...!_ " Claus whispered, "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine..." Ness choked, grasping his leg. He looked up, and to his surprise, Duster had also collapsed. Claus noticed this as well.

"You hit him..." Claus stammered, patting Ness' back. He called to a guard who approached Duster, "Status?"

"No pulse, Commander." The guard confirmed, "He's dead."

Ness entire body went still has he heard those words, and he stared down blankly at the ground. Nana, who stood nearby, quickly ran to his other side and assisted Claus in helping him shakily stand up. Ness seemed to be putting no effort into standing, however. Claus, confused by Ness' odd behavior, turned to the surrounding crowd.

"The duel is won!" He yelled, "Try to find Duster's family and alert them of what has happened. Make sure he is buried. As for Ninten, don't bother with tending to his wounds. Imprison him, and I'll take the pleasure of dealing with him later. As for Ness, someone help me get him to the ward. The rest of you, clear the yard, and go about your day! The battle is over. Give your prayers to your prince and his second's recovery."

* * *

Afternoon hadn't even come yet by the time Lucas had recovered. The wound in his shoulder was a serious one, but after some cleaning and a collection of bandages, he insisted to be back on his feet. This was mainly because he was more focused on staying by Ness' side. Ness was perfectly fine, as his injuries were less severe. However, although he was alive and seemingly awake, he was completely unresponsive. Not a single word had come from him since the duel. The hospital staff concluded that this was simply catatonia induced by shock, and he should be coming to soon.

And come to, he did.

It took the force of Lucas, Claus, and two nurses to keep Ness restrained, as the boy had suddenly snapped out of his trance and had gone into a hysterical fit, thrashing and clawing at anything in front of him. He shrieked in protest the entire time, but didn't seem to be saying any discernible words.

"Nesley, for heaven's sake,  _calm yourself!_ " Claus shouted as he pushed down against Ness' arm and chest.

"He's most likely still in shock, just give him a few seconds to process what's going on...!" One of the nurses insisted, struggling to force down one of Ness' legs.

"Come on, snap out of it, Nesley!" Lucas cried, wincing when Ness grabbed his arm and nearly drew blood with his fingernails.

After several more seconds, Ness began to calm down, taking in deep breaths as if he'd just been choking. Those surrounding him kept their grasp on him, in case he began to freak out again. However, to the relief of everybody, Ness eventually fell still, and he slowly opened his eyes. Lucas leaned in close to him.

"Nesley?" He whispered, " _...Ness?_ "

"...What happened...?" Ness slurred, turning in response to Lucas' voice.

"You've been in quite the state of catatonic shock," Claus explained, "The duel was won, but you didn't make it out unscathed. You were struck in your leg, remember? It's healing nicely."

Ness slowly gazed down at his leg, seeming as if he were in a daze, "Ah...I see...R-right."

"Do you feel alright?" Asked Lucas, turning to the few staff members surrounding and dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

Ness delayed his answer until they had left the room, leaving the three of them in privacy. He bit his lip, clasping his hands together and looking out of a nearby window. Lucas, sensing the answer already, set a hand on his arm and leaned over a bit to try and look him in the eye. Claus stood nearby, casually leaning against another bed. Ness took in a trembling breath, still refusing to make eye contact and turning his head as much as he could to prevent it. Lucas, immediately hearing alarm bells in his head, squeezed his arm.

"Ness, dearest, look at me." He murmured, "You can cry in front of me. You know that. I won't tell anyone."

Another moment of hesitation from Ness, before he gave another sigh and slowly turned his attention back to Lucas, exposing now red rimmed eyes which were welling up with tears. A rare sight, Lucas thought, as Ness never dared to shed a tear and allow someone to see it. He nuzzled in close to him, sending a crushed look towards Claus. His brother solemnly shrugged a bit, just as unsure of what to do. Lucas, realizing that Claus' presence was probably holding Ness back, tipped his head towards the door. Claus nodded, understanding the gesture, before quickly and quietly exiting the ward. The only sound now was the calming ambiance from outside and Ness' quiet sobs. For a long while, there were no words said. Lucas, quite frankly, wasn't sure what to say. He felt terrible, knowing that this was Ness showing his true vulnerability, and he didn't know what to do. But his anxiety then didn't even compare to what he felt once Ness suddenly muttered something.

"...'Ave you ever killed a man, Lucas?" Ness asked. His sudden shift back into his old, messy accent caught Lucas off guard, but his question nearly made his heart stop. He took a moment, processing his answer.

"I-I..." Lucas stammered. Did his nightmare count? Of course, it hadn't actually happened, but it felt all too real. However, he replied with the simplest reply he could think of, "...No."

"It doesn't feel anything like how I imagined it." Ness explained, blankly staring off into space, "...Why the hell am I not feelin' guilty? I know that Duster and I weren't the best of acquaintances, but...I-I thought that maybe I'd..."

"Ness, it was a kill made for the sake of a duel; you preserved my honour when I could no longer fight for it. Why should you feel guilty?"

"Whether it was a fair kill or not, it was still a kill!" Ness replied, only raising his voice slightly, "What that was, Lucas, was  _murder._ "

"There is a  _difference_ , Ness. You held no ill intentions!" Said Lucas.

"Yes I did. Sure, I wanted to fight for you. But you and I both know that the main reason I offered to be your second was so that I could finally get my hands on him. And lord above, I got what I wanted. Damn well I did." Ness spat, speaking bitterly through his teeth, "And now there'll be a special place down in the fiery depths for me once I'm gone."

"Don't speak of that...!" Lucas urged, grabbing his shoulders, "I am the second most powerful person in this country, and don't you forget it. Each word I say is law, no matter what it may be. If I say that the snows of winter are scalding hot, that the flap of a butterfly's wing drowns out all..."

"That day is night?" Ness predicted, having heard this plenty of times before.

"Then it is law!" Lucas concluded, "And if I say that you have not done one, and that your conscience is rid of sin, then it shall be so."

"You can say that I am an innocent man all you want, but the lord himself has seen what I've done! Nothing changes! I still killed a man, Lucas," Ness repeated, "And by this time tomorrow, you will have done the same thing. Then, perhaps, you'll  _understand._ "

Lucas backed away a little bit, eyes wide. His grip on Ness' arms released. Ness, also shocked by his own remark, instantly softened his expression and reached back towards him.

"F-forgive me, I didn't mean to bring that up." Ness said quietly, returning to his controlled, proper voice.

"It's...it's fine." Lucas whispered, though he didn't return to his previous position. Ness mentally shouted at himself for saying such a reckless thing to a person he knew to be sensitive. He began to try and apologize again, but Lucas had already continued speaking, "Ninten's finally off to the rope tomorrow. I keep forgetting."

' _God dammit, Ness, you and your stupid idiot brain..._ ' Ness thought, before speaking aloud, "...Y-yeah."

"I can't believe I'll practically have his life in the palm of my hand. I mean...when father decided that I would be the one to call the next execution, I never knew I would be ordering the death of the most wanted criminal in the country," Lucas said, "...How I hate him so, yet...unlike you, I'm already feeling guilty."

"Why is that?"

Ness' question made Lucas freeze up. Lucas knew fully well why he felt guilty. Tomorrow, he would be ordering the execution of a young man's brother. Said young man, being his most beloved, laying next to him. Although Ness seemingly had no idea of Ninten's identity, Lucas couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Lucas had debated telling Ness about his unknown sibling ever since he found out, but he knew that Ness wouldn't respond the least bit positively. Lucas, stuck between a rock and a hard place, simply shook his head.

"I'm unsure. Perhaps I'm just too much of a sap." He shrugged, resting his face in one hand, "...I...don't want this. Death row is just so needless."

"He kidnapped you! All Duster ever did was rob me a few times, but Ninten snatched you right up and almost had you killed! The amount of money he's stolen could possibly fund remodeling every building on the east side!" Ness said.

"Well, yes, but...death? He's no different from you or I, minus the stealing part," Lucas explained, "He's young. He's stupid, he's naive...he's redeemable. I'm sure that if he just had the chance to start over..."

Lucas trailed off, sadly gazing to the ground. Ness, still bewildered as to why Lucas would hold any ounce of sympathy for Ninten, gave him a comforting look anyways.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. But people like him just don't have anyone up there watching over them." Ness yawned, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"...Yeah." Lucas responded. On a sudden impulse, he snapped to look at him, "Ness, I think Ninten is your-"

He stopped, once realizing that Ness hadn't heard him. The lamplighter had drifted off, now peacefully asleep. Lucas prayed that when he awoke again, he would not go into the same frantic episode as he did before. Giving a weak, bittersweet smile, he leaned over him and gently kissed his temple. After pulling away and brushing a few stray strands of hair from his face, Lucas bit his lip and stood up.

' _Just my luck._ ' He thought.

He turned to the window, sighing as he felt sunlight wash over him. The gleam nearly hurt his eyes to look at. Was this a blessing from the heavens, he thought? Perhaps it wasn't too far fetched. Lucas took one last glance towards Ness, before turning and making his way out of the ward. As he did so, he made a decision.

 _'You're right, Ness. There's no one up there who's looking out for him,_ ' He thought, ' _But there's someone down here who is_.'

* * *

Lucas had always known where Claus kept the prison key. Just above the large wooden door that led down a dark, spiral staircase, there was a lantern, and the key always sat hidden away inside of it. When Lucas approached the lantern late that night, unlatching the small opening and feeling the inside, it wasn't hard for his fingers to find and rest upon the rusted metal key. Taking one more glance around himself to make sure no one was around, he pulled his hood even more over his head, and rushed to unlock the door.

The dungeon itself was a frightening place. With long, winding and narrow hallways, twisting and turning through seemingly endless paths. Dragonstep was fairly tame with crime, so during the few times Lucas had ever actually been down here, he'd never seen any actual prisoners. But that made the whole experience all the more terrifying, being surrounded by countless empty cells, the only sound being the flickering of torches on the wall and your own footsteps. Lucas, keeping his unnerved breathing low, silently tip toed his way through the maze of dusty walls. While he wasn't having a fun time being around so much dirt, he toughed it out. As he rushed through, he took a quick peek into every grip locked door's barred window. Each time, he would find nothing. The deeper he ventured, the more frustrated he got. It couldn't be that hard to find a single living thing down here. The closest thing so far was a mouse that had nearly caused him to shriek, and even then, he was pretty sure it was dead.

When Lucas had begun to lose hope, that was when he suddenly heard an odd sound. Scraping, it sounded like. Like nails on a chalkboard. It sent shivers up his spine. Lucas went still in order to estimate where the sound was coming from. It definitely wasn't in his head. He could hear something scraping against something, and it was loud enough to echo. Slowly, Lucas began to tread forwards again, keeping his steps as light as possible so that he could continue listening. As the sound grew closer, he sped up his pace.

Finally, he turned a hallway that led to a dead end. The sound was at it's loudest; a steady, unchanging rusting sound. Lucas could spot a subtle shadow moving through one of the door windows. He slowly approached it, seeing a repeated movement in the shadows, but being unable to decipher what it was. Lucas held his breath, ready to confront exactly who he knew was in there.

That was, until he suddenly stepped on a rock, stumbling a bit and sending the rock tumbling away from him. The scratching stopped, and the entire area went dead quiet. A shaky breath came from the closed off cell.

"Who's that?"

Lucas grit his teeth, victorious. It was Ninten's voice. He took a step forward.

"M-me." He said.

"Captain?"

"Almost, try again."

A moment of silence, before Ninten sighed, "...Oh, for heaven's sake. Not  _you_  again."

Lucas scoffed and made his way to the cell, pulling his hood off and letting himself be visible to the prisoner. He could just barely make out Ninten's face from beyond the bars. His appearance had changed drastically in just one day. Most noticeable was the long, red line across his face from where Lucas had struck hair had been cut, and he stood as if he were about to fall over at any moment. Lucas knew that the skin on his back was probably decorated with deep, bloodied wounds. Claus had obviously taken a fair amount of delight using the lash on his newly captured prisoner.

"Whatchu want?" He muttered, "Haven't you already done enough today?"

"I-I, um..." Lucas trailed off, walking right up to the bars separating them, "Are you hungry?"

"Pardon?"

"You heard me. You probably haven't eaten in a long while."

"What's it to you?"

Lucas reached back into his coat and pulled something out; a fair sized piece of bread that he'd snatched earlier. He held it up to the barrier, "I could never let someone starve."

Ninten's eyes flashed with irritation, "Yet, you can order a man's execution? They're going to kill me tomorrow anyways, I don't see the point." He turned away stubbornly. For several long, grueling seconds, Lucas didn't say anything, catching Ninten's attention. Ninten shifted his eyes back slightly towards him, seeing that the prince had not moved from his position. Ninten furrowed his brow in disbelief, before looking towards the precious nutrition being offered to him. Not realizing how hungry he actually was, he rolled his eyes and grabbed it from Lucas' hand, "Give."

The way Ninten ate the morsel was odd. Considering how skinny he was, it was safe to assume that food was practically a luxury for him. But none the less, he carefully picked off piece by piece and slowly chewed each one. Time passed. Ninten, realizing that Lucas was still there, gave him a confused look.

"Whatchu starin' at?" He asked, having finished.

"Why did you do something as foolish as to challenge me?" Lucas asked softly, "In fact, on that note, why do you do any of the things you do? Why do you steal, why do you kidnap?"

"Same reason anyone else does." Said Ninten bitterly, "Survival."

"Surely you can survive without taking from others!" Lucas breathed.

"It ain't as simple as that, Sire. Some of us are born lucky, like you. Some of us are born just barely managing to scrape by..." Ninten said, "...And then, some of us are born into a family that was doing alright, but then, they're lost during a storm, and taken in by some blacksmith who wants to make a profit, so he teaches you how to pickpocket, but then he abandons you once you're a teenager."

Lucas didn't say anything. He simply listened, stunned, as Ninten went on.

"And then, after getting yourself a reputation, your whole plans gets ruined by some prince who got creative with a candle, and then you decide to regain your dignity with a duel. And then, you show up to the battle, only to find that his second is...!" Ninten stopped, taking a moment to compose himself, "...His second...wasn't any better off than you, but even he managed to clean himself up. Funny, isn't it? How two men can start from the same god forsaken place, but one ends up climbing the ranks, and you end up in a cell using a knife file to try and escape!"

Ninten threw something against the wall in frusturation. Lucas's eyes darted to the object. It was a thin, white stone. A knife file. He realized that the scraping sound he'd heard was Ninten trying to cut through the bars. But Lucas was more shocked at something else. He stared at Ninten, eyes wide.

"You..." He whispered, "You know? A-about Ness?"

"Of course I do, I'm not an idiot. Anyone with eyes can see it. Well, except for him, apparently." Ninten hissed.

"And you never brought it up?" Lucas asked, bewildered.

"Never saw a reason to. Besides, if I told him we were brothers, what difference would it make to anything? Chances are, he probably wouldn't even believe me." Ninten said, casually leaning against the wall, "Better to just leave it alone."

"How were you split up, then?" Lucas asked, before quickly looking away and shaking his head, "Wait, what am I asking? Of course you wouldn't know, you must have been so young when it happened."

Ninten clicked his teeth, "I know enough, or at least, I know what happened according to the guy who raised me before the rat abandoned me on the street," He began, "My mum was deathly ill when she was about to have us, and there was no apothecary at the time who knew what to do. So, they got onto a boat to find one. But then, of course, she went into labour, and me and Ness were born."

"I suppose the ship crashed, and that's how you were lost?"

"No one knows. All I know is that whatever happened, Ness managed to stay with our parents, while I was kept as a hidden little thief. A pet, almost."

"Why didn't you just go to your family after you were abandoned? Surely, after seeing the resemblance between Ness and yourself, they would believe you?"

"Because at that point, I had realized that I didn't need them. I was already growing the ranks, why on Earth would I need them to weigh me down?"

"There's one more thing I will never understand about you." Lucas murmured solemnly, "I couldn't imagine life without my family. Especially not without my  _own_  brother."

"Well, the difference between you and I is that I'm not soft, and sensitive, and  _weak_." Ninten spat. Lucas clenched his fists.

"This soft, sensitive, weakling  _defeated_  you at your own game earlier. I'd watch your mouth." He countered.

Ninten grit his teeth to stop himself from shouting something in return, but at this point, his fire and energy had burnt out. He simply looked away and sat down against the cold, damp wall. He hissed in pain suddenly, drawing away from the wall and clamping a hand over the gashes in his back, "God dammit...I don't see why torture needs to happen before an execution. They're just gonna kill me anyways."

"I-I'm sorry." Lucas said, having not planned to say it. Ninten eyed him suspiciously.

"I need not your pity. Don't bother."

"Pardon me, but I _will._ " Lucas replied, "I'll never try to justify any of the horrid things you've done, especially to me. In fact, you're getting almost everything you deserve. But...if I could stop them from killing you, I would. No one truly deserves to die for simple thievery, even if it's been happening for ages."

Ninten simply stared back, not sure how to feel about what he was hearing.

"You're a... _strange_  prince, you know." Ninten said, "Just a little while back, you tracked me down with the sole intent of killing me. You yourself told me that you would have no trouble telling a line of gunmen to open fire on me. Now, you've changed your mind?"

"Quite so. Ninten..." Lucas trailed off, letting his mind's memories drift back to that night, "...After you sent me quickly off to sleep that night, I had a dream that felt all too real. I wielded a holy blade, and...in that dream, I ended you. I won't go into details for your sake, if not, for my own. After such an experience, I couldn't stop seeing your blood on my hands. That...that is something I never, ever want to see again."

"Well,  _too bad._ " Ninten snapped quietly, seemingly unphased by Lucas' violent description, "Better get used to the sight. I've already come to accept my fate."

Lucas narrowed his eyes, "I know that isn't true."

"What?"

"When I came down here, you were scraping away at those bars with a knife file. You knew you'd never be able to break through, but you still did it. You haven't accepted your fate, and you never will. You're not ready to die."

"Of course I'm not, but what does it matter to you?" Replied Ninten bitterly, "It's not like I'm ever gonna make it out. If I did, though...if that file managed to break right through those bars, I'd take off like a panther, I tell you what. Run off to some other country, change my name...get a job at a forge or something. And I'd just...live the rest of my life, peacefully. No need to worry about knives, or guns, or being chased down..."

"Would you stop thievery?"

"In a heartbeat. Sure, I've enjoyed my few years of fame, but..." Ninten's voice softened, and Lucas felt as if he were talking to an entirely different person, "...Was any of that really worth it? I'd make it, somehow. Come to think of it, my whole life of crime was so needless and tedious. If I just had one more chance...I'd leave that life behind me and turn myself around."

As a few more moments of silence went by, Lucas grimly looked at Ninten, who gazed longingly up at the ceiling. Lucas sighed. Somewhere, deep down inside himself, he knew that Ninten was sincere with his words. He clapped him hands together once in satisfaction, standing up.

"Then that's all I needed to hear." He said. Ninten looked back at him, confused.

"Huh?"

Lucas didn't answer, as he approached the door, and slipping the key from his pocket. Ninten grabbed the bars and strained to look out. A few seconds later, and the lock was jiggled free. To Ninten's shock, Lucas swung the door open and stood to the side.

"Do you want to live to see another day?" Lucas asked.

Ninten didn't say anything at first, eyes wide, but eventually gave a weak nod of his head, "...Uh-huh."

"Then follow me, and do exactly as I say."

* * *

The trek through the castle's dark hallways was silent and tense. Ninten trailed close behind Lucas, who swiftly led the way. To his confusion, the prince led him to the library of all places. Ninten looked around in confusion at the endless bookcases.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, I don't exactly know how to read." Ninten murmured with a hint of jeering.

"Can you read a map, at least?" Lucas asked as he approached a specific bookcase, and began rummaging through the contents.

"Any moron can read a map, of course I can-" Ninten was cut off when Lucas suddenly shoved something into his hands. It was a bag, seemingly made out of burlap. As Ninten steadied it in his grasp, he could feel weight from within it. "What's this?"

"Just a little something to help you out." Whispered Lucas. Ninten, who was just too puzzled at this point, slung the bag over his shoulder.

"Have you been  _planning_ this?" Ninten asked quietly as he began to follow Lucas again, out of the library.

"Perhaps there was a  _bit_  of preparing." Replied Lucas.

As they continued down their path, Lucas realized how quietly Ninten was moving compared to himself. The thief was light on his feet, barely making any noise. Obviously a skill he'd picked up over the years. The two quietly jogged for a few more minutes, before Lucas led him to a spot he hadn't been to in a while; the divot within the wall that he'd used to sneak out ages ago. He looked around to make sure no one was there, before motioning for Ninten to follow him as he slowly squeezed in to the tight space. Ninten took a reluctant step back.

"Are you crazy? I can't fit in there!" Ninten whispered.

"If I can do it, you can do it, come on!" Lucas grabbed his arm and yanked him along.

Lucas surprisingly found it more difficult than he remembered to get through the tunnel. It had been at least a few months since he'd used it. The musty smell brought back a wave of memories, but he forced himself to focus on getting out of there. After several seconds of inching his way through, he finally stumbled out into the stables, followed by Ninten. They each took a moment to brush off their clothes, but soon went still, realizing that every horse in the area was looking straight in their direction. Ninten nervously leaned over to Lucas.

"Why are they looking at me?" He murmured through his teeth.

"U-uh...I'm not quite sure..." Lucas replied, as they took a few tentative steps forward. The minute Ninten started to move however, the pair was met with aggressive, low pitched chirping from the animals. Lucas stared back, bewildered, before looking at Ninten, and quickly coming to a conclusion, "It's you. Those are the horses used by the royal guard; they've been trained to know your scent."

"So they just don't like me? That's what this is?" Ninten crossed his arms.

"They're incredibly smart. All they know is that their riders don't like you very much, so they don't like you either. Just follow behind me, I'll try to keep them calm."

And so, with Lucas once again leading the way, they slowly began to make their way forward. Ninten was instantly met with aggression again, getting nipped at several times, but Lucas was quick to handle the situation and keep any of them from lashing out. Step after step, Ninten stuck to Lucas like a spider to a web, as Lucas continued to make calming gestures with his hands and quiet clicking noises with his tongue. When they finally reached the end of the row, stepping into the cold, outside air, the two finally relaxed. While the occupants of the stables still watched them, thankfully, none of them proceeded to freak out. Lucas let out a sigh of relief and gestured for Ninten to follow.

Once they made it to the city streets, Lucas broke into a light run. Ninten knew the town just as well as he did, and followed each sharp turn with ease. The sounds of their rushed footsteps echoed as they passed building after building. Lucas managed to get a look up at the streetlights above. Ness, earlier, had insisted that he do his job, despite the condition that his leg was in. Lucas smiled to himself as he ran past each other. Ness had done alright, although some lamps had gone out.

It didn't take long for the boys to reach the edge of the eastern side of the city, where houses would become lesser, and cobblestone would fade into grass. Lucas knew exactly where Ninten had to go, and thus, he took the path he'd taken many times. While he usually followed Ness through this pathway, he knew it well enough at this point. They found themselves in dense forest, and Lucas spotted the nearby hill leading to a place he knew all too well; The Sanctuary. However, as much as he longed to go there, he slowed to a stop, turning to Ninten, who was busy catching his breath.

"Now," Lucas began in a hushed voice, "That bag I gave you contains everything you'll need for your journey."

"J-journey?" Ninten asked.

"Yes. You can't stay in Dragonstep, your face is too familiar. But you  _can_  go to Magicant. They're the closest kingdom to us, and it's about a three day trip on foot. In that bag is a supply of rations, use them well. There's some clean water in there, some medical supplies in case you run into trouble, enough money to last you a few weeks, and most importantly, a map." Lucas held out his hand, prompting Ninten to hand the bag over. He dug around for a moment before finding the rolled up parchment map, and unfurling it.

"Alright, I think I can do that. Where is this place?" Ninten asked, leaning in to get a better look. Lucas squinted in the dim light.

"You will be going..." He murmured, before stopping his finger on a point, "...There. Now, when you get there, make yourself as unrecognizable as possible. Consider rubbing wool dye into your hair, and change it's colour. Powder your face. Change your accent. Do whatever you have to do, understood?"

"Yeah." Ninten replied, "What if the royal guard goes off looking for me?"

"I will tell them that I found you trying to escape. I chased you towards the docks, but you fell into the ocean, and you drowned. They will believe you to be dead." Lucas decided, "Now, go! You haven't much time. I know that following this stretch of forest will lead you towards Magicant, but I don't know the rest of the way. Protect that map."

"I will! B-bless you, Your Highness, I'll be sure to-" Ninten stopped, realizing what he was saying. Lucas smirked, amused by his sudden shift in attitude. Ninten awkwardly looked at the ground, embarrassed to have said anything respectful. He shrugged the bag back on, fidgeting with his hands, "...Thank you. I owe you every year in my lifetime."

"A life for a life." Lucas gave a nod of his head, "You're a good man, Ninten. I know you are. Please, use what I have given you to let that goodness come through."

"Okay," Ninten said, "O-okay. I promise."

"Goodbye, Ninten Trinh. May we meet again."

"May it be so, Your Highness." Ninten began to back away. He gave Lucas a weak smile; one that seemed genuine, not out of malice. With this, he gave a tip of his hat, and took off into the trees.

Then, he was gone. Lucas listened as the crunching of leaves died down. He thought about the Ninten's last gesture towards him. The same gestured Ness always did when saying goodbye. He prayed, that perhaps, the estranged brothers would meet someday, with Ninten as a new man. As Lucas began to make his way back down the tree covered hill. he thought about how just hours before, he'd been trying to kill him. He had faith in his heart that Ninten would become someone better. While he hadn't forgiven him, and he probably never would forgive him, Lucas wished him well.

' _Lord, keep him safe,_ ' Lucas prayed, ' _I know he hasn't been your purest child, but nor have I, and you've watched over me just the same. I pray that someday, he and Ness will meet again, but in celebration, not distaste. They deserve just as desirable an epilogue as me._ '


	8. Because Fourty Kills A Man

Claus had not taken kindly to Ninten's escape.

Lucas had sprinted back home and immediately informed Claus that he'd chased him down, but the thief had drowned, and he was unable to recover the body. He showed him Ninten's discarded knife file as proof. Claus was, at first, incredibly frustrated. It was clear he'd wanted Ninten to be killed publicly, for all to see, but he figured that as long as such a criminal was dead, he was satisfied. Lucas felt understandably guilty about lying to his brother, but he did not regret helping Ninten escape, not one bit.

The only one who was suspicious of Lucas, of course, was Ness. Surprisingly, he was more suspicious than Claus was. His leg had healed nicely, and he was up and walking. Lucas, when telling Ness his cover up for Ninten, would often be met with a raised eyebrow.

"And that's  _really_  what happened, Sire?" Ness would usually ask, his voice low and challenging.

"...Yes. Watched it all happen with my own eyes." Lucas would answer. Although Ness wouldn't question him further, he would still inspect him. The only thing worse than lying to Claus, Lucas thought, was lying to Ness. Especially now knowing that Ninten was aware that he and Ness were brothers, it was getting harder and harder to hide things.

The environment was tense around Lucas. While he was relieved that the duel had been won, Ness was still heavily affected. He often clung to Lucas like glue, too frightened to be on his own. Lucas felt completely helpless, knowing the only thing he could do was to comfort him. While he'd seen Ness at his most vulnerable before, he'd never seen him so paranoid. The usually carefree, positive side of him seemed to completely disappear. Even on the nights where they would sleep side by side, Lucas could hear the audible breathing coming from him. He knew that even while he slept, Ness would stay wide awake.

It seemed that the only person who wasn't completely on edge was Nana. She was Lucas' escape from the high tension. The two had grown to become very close friends. Often times, Lucas would find comfort in her sweet voice and lighthearted sense of humor. Some days, she would join him in observing the streetlamps from outside; although Ness was in a troubled state of mind, he never once neglected his job. Lucas and Nana would stand side by side, talking about whatever came to their minds.

It was on one of these nights, when Nana looked back at Lucas, concerned, as they waited for the dark streets to ignite once more.

"Has Ness gotten any better?" She asked softly. Lucas bit his lip, not looking back at her.

"Not that I can see," He sighed, "He said that he can hear Duster's voice, haunting him. He can't stop thinking about what happened."

"Surely, it will pass. He's a strong young man."

"I don't know if it will be that simple. Whether it was on fair terms or not, he still killed someone. He took someone's life. He keeps trying to pretend that he's alright, but not matter how genuine the smile is, his eyes tell a different story. They've lost their shine." Lucas sadly explained. His voice was low and raspy.

"The mind is often harder to heal than the body." Nana nodded, "How shaken he must be."

"Incredibly. He can't even _look_  at a gun without going into a mess of shaking and feeling nauseous." Lucas rested his face in his hands, "I wish I knew what to do. Whatever it takes, I don't care...I just want my beloved to be alright.

"You'll think of something. Love will always motivate you." Nana assured. Lucas sent her a grateful smile.

"Perhaps this whole 'marriage' thing won't be so bad after all." He said playfully, trying to lighten up the mood.

"I suppose I can tolerate it. Imagine how the kingdom would react if they found out all the twists and turns." Nana snickered a bit, using her hands to emphasize her words, "Prince Lucas of Dragonstep and Princess Natasha of Magicant are to be married! But what's this? The Princess is having a secret love affair with Lucas' brother? Oh, but the story deepens. Lucas himself is involved with his scruffy assistant. And here's a hint; the assistant gives a whole new meaning to being 'un-ladylike'. Why have they not planned an elopement yet? A question we will continue to ask for ages."

"The scandal of the century." Lucas chuckled, "Speaking of that, how is that going? You know, your little  _a_ _ffaire d'amour_ , hmm?"

Nana shrugged bashfully, "Your brother is surprisingly affectionate.  _There's_  a young man who knows how to treat a lady."

"Has he kissed you yet?"

"Yes, but it was more so the other way around. Poor thing went as red as the hair on his head."

"Well, I'm glad to know we've both found happiness." Lucas said, laughing quietly, "I was afraid that I would be left being miserable my whole life."

"Everything has turned out for the better, yes? Even Claus and Ness seem to be getting along nicely." Nana said. Lucas agreed with this; Claus and Ness had bonded after the duel. The Captain had offered to teach Ness several other things, after teaching him all he knew about gunmanship. Ness, in return, had given Claus the odd, wooden box having previously belonged to his deceased father, knowing that Claus had an interest in historical relics. It wasn't rare to see Claus buried in one of the large, thick books included in it.

"Aye," Lucas said, "I'm happier than I thought I could ever be."

Suddenly, Nana grabbed his arm lightly and pointed.

"Look! Look, there he goes." She said. Her words were true, as a small flicker of light sprouted from the same place it always did. The two bundled up close to each other as they both went silent, carefully watching. Lucas' heartbeat slowed down as he relaxed, becoming just as entranced as he always did when watching each lamp ignite. Ness seemed to be going a lot slower than he usually did, but this was understandable, considering his still healing leg. Lucas hoped that he wasn't in any pain.

Just as quickly as it started, it soon ended. Each street gleamed with a smooth, golden glow.

"Lovely." Nana whispered, "Thank you for showing me this; it's very calming."

"Isn't it?" Lucas agreed, "Alright...I must be off. I think I'll meet Ness on his way here. The poor creature must be exhausted."

"Waitwaitwait, don't have me make a wish by myself!" Nana insisted playfully.

"I already did!" Lucas said as he stepped into his boots.

"And that wish was...?"

"For everything to be just as it is now. That you, Claus, Ness, and myself will forever be this content, and nothing will ever go wrong."

* * *

When Lucas had gone near the entrance, he was concerned to find that Ness wasn't there yet. Again, understandable. But he still felt an underlying fear that Ness may be unable to make it by himself. So, he quickly headed for his escape towards the stables, which was where Ness made his way back inside.

He barely made it down one hallway before nearly running into someone. Lucas yelped and skidded to a halt. He backed up a few steps, coming face to face with someone familiar.

"P-Paula!" He gasped, "Goodness, my apologies, I didn't mean to do that."

"Think nothing of it, Your Highness!" Paula breathed, composing herself, "It's got to be near the middle of the night, why on Earth are you still awake?"

"I couldn't sleep, I figured I'd take a jog. You know, tire myself out." Lucas explained. "I'm more concerned as to why _you're_  awake."

"I just returned from delivering a stock of brocade to the local seamstress. I was just on my way to my quarters." Paula said, "Young Master, forgive me, but you look very scattered. Is everything well?"

"Everything's fine, it's all fine. Paula, it's always a pleasure to see your face, but I really must be off."

Paula raised an eyebrow, "Surely, you're not under a time constraint."

"I-I want to get to sleep as quickly as I can! Early day tomorrow."

"...Right, then. Off you go." Paula said quietly. Lucas nodded as he dismissed her, and quickly took off again. He knew that Paula had stopped to watch him go. He prayed that she did not investigate.

Once Lucas reached the wall divot, he quickly glanced around to make sure no one was around; particularly looking for Paula. To his relief, he didn't see anybody. He took a deep breath and sucked in, pushing his way into the tunnel with a grunt. To his surprise, he could hear the sounds of gentle nickering. Somebody was already in the stables. He quickly slowed down, straining his neck to try and spot who it was. He heard a soft voice speaking to one of the guard horses.

' _Thank goodness._ ' Lucas breathed, recognizing Ness' voice. He went back to his normal speed, before finally squeezing through and feeling his body relax.

"Oh, Lucas! Hello," It was Ness who spoke, as he approached the prince, "I was just taking a moment to say hi. This one over here won't stop nuzzling my hair."

"That means she likes you," Lucas snickered, "How's your leg?"

"Stupid thing is giving me trouble. Nothing agonizing, but it hurt to climb those posts," Ness explained, "How's your shoulder?"

"It only hurts when I move it too much. Other than that, it's doing okay for a frankly brutal stab wound." Lucas said, picking several pieces of hay off of Ness' jacket. "Do you need help getting back inside?"

"I'd actually like to stay out here, if that's alright. I know it sounds weird, but..." Ness looked around at the peaceful mammals, "...I find comfort in them. I'm feeling peace of mind for once."

Lucas nodded, understanding, "Well, I'll join you, then."

The two walked to the outside of the stables. It was a bit windy, but warm from the summer air. Ness sat down in the grass, Lucas joining him at his side. The two looked up at the stars above, then to each other.

"I need to thank you, Lucas," Ness admitted, drawing his legs to his chest, "I've been...very down in the dumps lately, haven't I? You've stayed by my side, like you always do."

"You need not thank me. That's just my job. Although you and I may be lovers, you're still one of my subjects." Lucas replied. Ness smirked at him from the side.

"It's your job  _just_  as the prince?" He asked.

" _And_  as your spouse-to-be, of course." Lucas clarified playfully, "It's necessary, I think. To always be there for one another. When you asked me to marry you, you were giving all of yourself to me. And when I said yes, I gave all of myself to you. Your happiness is the most important thing to me."

"Oh please, your _hair_  is the most important thing to you." Ness teased, putting a hand on Lucas' head and tussling his hair up. Lucas instantly react by running his fingers through it and smoothing it back to it's original state, by instinct. Ness rolled his eyes, "I rest my case."

"Bug off, won't you?" Lucas snickered. He leaned over and rested his head on Ness' shoulder. "I can't wait for the day I can call you my husband. That will be a wonderful day."

"The happiest of them." Ness murmured, "Imagine how perfect our life will be, yes? Sure, we won't be able to share such an event with anyone, but the only people who need to know is you and I."

"And Claus and Nana. They'd be quite pleased."

"Of course."

"Perhaps, even...one day, my father could know. We'll sit him down, talk quietly, and explain the situation. My father may be a brash man, but he's a gentle, kind soul."

"I wish I had a family to tell." Ness solemnly admitted. Lucas took his hand.

"I'm sorry, love," He whispered, "How do you think they would react?"

"Well, thankfully, they wouldn't have the power to do much. The worst they could do was to scorn me, to sully my name. Not my sister, I believe. She was a kindhearted girl. I hope that someday, if I meet her again, she would embrace you with open arms, truly accepting you as her brother in law."

"Just as Claus did, with you." Lucas agreed, "Sure, we may have hit a rough patch with him, but Claus eventually grew to understand, yes? Perhaps the day will come when you see your sister again."

"Perhaps." Ness replied, sighing, "But, of course, even if none of that happens, everything will still be perfect. Because I'll have you. My prince."

"You tease." Lucas smiled, "You know what I just realized? You're technically almost a prince too."

"Am I?"

"You're engaged to me. Once we're married, you'll be part of the royal family. The third prince of Dragonstep."

"...Goodness, you're absolutely right. And to think that months ago, I was a poverty ridden newsboy who slept on two wooden crates." Ness said, "I owe you everything, you know. I'd always thought I would just keel over and perish one day from starvation, and no one would notice. But now, I'll actually get to live a full life."

"And I'll be there for every year of it." Lucas looked up at him and softly kissed his cheek. "This is our beginning."

Ness smiled warmly, resting a hand on Lucas' face and leaning forward to let their lips meet. It was soft, but it meant everything all the same. Lucas propped himself up with his elbow and let himself lean back, Ness resting over top of him. He smiled into the kiss and tilted his head to the side to deepen it. Everything was perfect, he thought.

' _Everything has all fallen into place for me._ ' He thought. ' _I'm the luckiest boy in the world, truly._ '

Suddenly, a sound alerted the two, who quickly separated and scooted back a few paces. Ness put his arm protectively in front of Lucas, as the sound seemed way too deliberate to be an animal or the wind. They looked at each other, eyebrows knitted, before they began to nervously look around. Everything was silent, save for the blowing of the wind. Lucas' pulse began to race as an overwhelming sense of danger took hold.

It was Ness who suddenly gasped and backed up again, more forceful than he did last time. Lucas finally spotted what he was looking at. Inside the stables, just barely hidden away and peeking from behind a wooden support beam, was a person.

"P-Paula!" Lucas cried. Paula, knowing she'd been spotted, slowly revealed herself, and took a tentative step forward. Ness' grip on Lucas tightened.

"Now...you listen here..." Paula grimly muttered, shakily pointing at them, "...You  _get your hands off him_ , you bastard."

"Paula, you must understand, we weren't-" Lucas struggled to explained, but was surprised when Ness suddenly clamped his hand over his mouth. Ness got to his feet, forcefully taking Lucas up with him.

"I'll let go of him when hell freezes over!" Ness violently snapped back. Lucas' eyes darted to several places as he tried to piece together what was happening. He struggled to shout, but Ness kept his hand where it was. Paula took another step forward. She was shaking, as if she were scared of something.

"I  _knew_  something was up with you, Nesley.  _Perhaps that's not even your name._ " Paula growled, " _Let him go._ "

"Try and make me! I've gotten this far, and I won't crumble to the likes of _you._ " Countered Ness.

Lucas glanced up at him, confused and frightened. Ness' eyes were dark. He thought, for a moment, Ness was being serious. However, when he felt a slight squeeze on his arm, he realized that he was simply pretending. This was all an act. Going along with whatever Ness was planning, Lucas relaxed his body and allowed himself to be restrained. Paula, meanwhile, continued to approach the two.

"I knew it! You only came here to get to him, and to _use_  him. What I saw just there was a clear example. How  _dare_  you take advantage of him in such a way?!" Paula shouted.

Lucas suddenly realized the misunderstanding. He jerked his head to the side, allowing himself to talk.

"Paula, you don't understand! He wasn't- _mmph...!_ " Lucas was once again silenced by Ness' hand. He continued to let out muffled shrieks, in a desperate attempt to save Ness. However, Ness had made his decision.

"I figured it'd be a while before I was found out." Ness said maliciously, "You wouldn't dare snitch, would you?"

Paula reared back, prepared to run.

"Don't worry, Your Highness! He won't be a problem anymore!" Paula said, before taking off in the opposite direction.

The moment she was gone, Lucas was released, and he immediately began to sprint after her. However, he was grabbed by the arms and held back.

"Paula! Paula, come back! He wasn't taking advantage!" Lucas desperately cried, "Ness, you let go of me! Let go!  _That's an order!_ "

"I'm sorry, Lucas! I have to disobey you!" Ness replied, as the two wrestled to try and overpower the other.

Lucas had begun to hysterically sob, "But she'll tell everyone! I have to tell her that both of us were involved! Ness! Stop it! Don't you understand?!  _They'll kill you!_ "

"I know." Ness said, much softer, "But they won't kill you if they think I'm the one at fault."

Lucas looked back at him with terrified, tear stained eyes.

"...Ness..." Lucas whispered with a trembling voice.

Ness bit his lip and stared back at him sincerely. Nearby, several other staff members ran to the scene, spotting the two. The first thing they saw was Lucas being restrained, and instantly leaped into action. Lucas was grabbed by comforting hands, while Ness was violently yanked away from him by several people. Lucas began to shriek protests, as he was pulled away. Ness struggled a bit, managing to escape his restraints, but he was struck in the chest by a sharp kick, and hit the ground hard. Ness was continuously struck multiple times. He seemed to put no effort into escaping.

In the corner of his eye, Lucas saw Claus, and instantly felt a sense of relief.

"Claus! Claus, help him, he's-" Lucas stopped once he realized that Claus had latched onto him, and also began to pull him away from the scene. Shocked and enraged, he snapped to look back at him, "Claus! Niclaus, let go! Can't you see, _he's hurting!_ "

"Lucas, stop thrashing...!"

"No!  _Ness!_  Let go of him, leave him alone! _I order you to stop it!_ " Lucas screamed, noticing that Ness wasn't moving. No one took heed of his order.

Still held back by Claus' stronger grip, Lucas was forced to watch as Ness was taken from him. He still continued to fight back, but his strength could only last so long. The crowd forcefully taking Ness with them had long sense disappeared. Lucas felt the grip on his arms loosen, and he collapsed, his legs weak from the endless struggling. His entire body ached from the stress. His shoulder, in particular, was seething with agonizing burning. But none of that could compare to what he felt inside. Anxiety gnawed at him like a spider bite. As he broke down into sobs, tearing at the grass, Claus only watched from nearby. He could hear Lucas muttering rapid fire prayers. Claus couldn't push away the guilt eating away at him. Holding his brother back from saving Ness was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.

"L-Lucas..." Claus reached forward as Lucas shakily got to his feet. His hand was slapped away hard enough to make it hurt.

" _Don't touch me._ " Lucas spat, advancing on him, "I thought you understood us!"

"I do! You know I do! Ness was doing that to  _protect_  you, Lucas."

" _You could've at least tried to protect him!_ "

"If I'd let you go, you would have told everyone, and they would've given you the  _same treatment._ " Claus insisted, "Everything Ness does is for you, Lucas. This time is no different!"

"Oh, bloody  _hell_ , Claus,  _fuck off!"_ Lucas snapped, turning on his heel and taking off in the opposite direction. Claus followed him for a few paces, but soon realized that there was nothing he could do. The best thing he could do right now was to deal with the newly admitted prisoner.

Meanwhile, Lucas was off to do the same thing. Funny, he thought. It was funny how quickly a beginning could come to an end in a screeching halt.

* * *

Lucas had never known the feeling of constant fear. With each second that ticked by, his heart only seemed to beat faster. Claus was his only resource on knowing whether Ness was alive or not. Even then, Lucas knew that it could change at any minute. Ness had been taken straight to Flint, who reacted no differently. Ness was instantly cursed by the monarch for his supposed crime. Thankfully, he was given to Claus, who would decide what to do with him. Claus was quick to simply put Ness in a cell. For now, he was safe. Lucas would have told the truth the moment he saw his father, but he did not. This was because Claus and Ness had both begged him not to. Even Nana, who was horrified to find out what happened, insisted that he keep his mouth shut. So, Lucas spent the entire day simply pacing, back and forth, shunning away anyone who wished to see him.

That was, of course, until Flint demanded to speak to his son and Claus immediately. The moment Lucas entered the study Flint stood in, he was met with sympathy from his father, who rushed to him and put a hand on his face.

"What a fool I was, Lucas...I'm so sorry this happened," Flint had breathed, "...I trusted that wicked boy too much. He was just beguiling us, the whole time."

As Lucas and Claus went to sit down, Lucas felt his brother give his hand a comforting squeeze. Lucas, who felt terrible for how he'd treated his brother the night before, looked back at him with a weak, barely noticeable smile. The twins sat in silence, Flint facing away from them and looking out the window.

"Disgusting.  _Affreux!_ " Flint muttered, "To think such a seemingly kind boy would take advantage of my son like that."

Lucas bit his lip, nearly drawing blood. Claus clenched his hands into fists under the table.

"After some lengthy research of royal families in the area," Flint began, looking over his shoulder, "I discovered that he belongs to none of them. He's a fraud; an impersonator."

A moment of silence.

"...Q-quite shocking." Claus mumbled.

"Aye," Said Flint, "And just to add to the list of things...the murder of a peer. By gunshot."

"That was a fair kill, it was a duel!" Lucas stood up in his seat, unable to keep himself quiet anymore. Claus quickly grabbed his arm and sat him back down.

"A duel which he won by _false identity!_ " Flint clarified, "You know better, Lucas. I taught you the practice of dueling myself."

Lucas began to object, but realized his father was absolutely right. Dueling under a fake identity was forbidden. He averted his gaze downwards. Flint's eyes softened, as he turned to face his sons.

"Lucas, dear boy, I understand you were good friends with him. But he used you. He soiled you. He did impure things to you! These are things we cannot forgive and forget." Flint emphasized, his voice brimming with hatred, "I won't allow it, especially not to my own child. Claus, alert your men."

"Why?" Claus asked voicelessly, grabbing Lucas' hand from under the table. He knew the answer.

"Tomorrow, at the peak of morning, he will be executed for his crimes."

Lucas, feeling his entire world collapse onto him, stood up once more, slamming his hands against the table.

" _No!_ " He shrieked, "Father,  _you mustn't! He's just a boy!_ "

"Lucas...!" Claus struggled to sit him down again, but Lucas simply wasn't having it.

"He's a boy who committed murder, impersonation, and an assault on a royal figure of the monarchy! I've made my decision!" Flint countered, leaning over the table as if to challenge his son, "When you rule this country, you cannot be soft!"

"But he didn't-!" Lucas bit his lip once again, flinching when he broke skin, "...Father, _please._ Anything but death, I beg of you! May you let him ask the lord for forgiveness, may his soul be cleansed! Surely, such crimes can be payed for?"

"I've made my decision." Flint repeated, his voice much darker.

" _I won't allow it!_ " Lucas shouted.

"I'm afraid that until you've taken over the throne, my word takes over yours!" Replied Flint.

"Then I'm ready! Crown me tonight, as the king of Dragonstep!"

"This irrational thinking is exactly why that cannot happen!" Flint straightened his posture, "My mind is made up. Spare me your tears."

Lucas realized that tears were streaming down his face. He quickly wiped them away. He looked to Claus as if asking for help, then back to his father. Realizing that there was nothing he could do, Lucas finally collapsed back into his chair, defeated. He glared down at the floor, not bothering to stop any more tears, which seemed endless at this point.

" _U-understood._ " Lucas muttered, his voice breaking. He felt Claus' arm wrap around him as he hugged himself, silently crying. Claus looked back at Flint, who seemed to have a hint of regret on his face. He sent his father a pleading look, but Flint's pride seemed to overpower his sympathy.

"Claus," Flint began grimly, "I entrust that you will defend your brother's honour with... _suitable_  punishment. The same you inflicted on the last bastard who did wrong to this country."

Claus' heart dropped, "F-father, no! With all due respect, I don't see why  _torture_  of all things is necessary!"

"Good lord, I'd expect such sensitivity from Lucas, but now _you've_  gone soft?"

Claus tightened his arm around Lucas, who either hadn't heard what Flint had ordered, or was too defeated to fight back. He grit his teeth, and took a deep breath. He was powerless.

"...Yes, father. Understood." Claus murmured.

"Thank you." Flint bowed his head, giving Lucas a disappointed look. He then silently left the study, leaving the twins alone.

For the next few minutes, Claus kept his arm around Lucas, who continued to quietly sob. With each hitch of a breath Lucas would take, Claus' blood would only go colder. He wanted to say something, anything, but his vocal chords refused to cooperate. He couldn't imagine what must've been going through Lucas' head. But after a long while of nothing being said, he found out.

Lucas muttered something unintelligible. Claus leaned down.

"What'd you say?" Claus asked. Lucas' sobs turned to audible cries.

" _It has to be me!_ " Lucas choked, "F-father ordered me to give the go forth to the next execution, Claus...!"

Claus stared blankly at the opposing wall as his brother collapsed into him in another mess of hysterical tears, and the realization dawned upon him. He ran his hand through Lucas' hair in a desperate attempt to calm him. But of course, Lucas' fate, as well as Ness' was sealed. And for once, there was nothing Claus could do about it.

* * *

By Claus' order, Ness was brought before him. He was thrown just before where Claus stood, and was so battered, be simply crumpled to the ground, with a soft a grunt. Lucas, who stood just behind Claus, took a step forward, but dug his fingers into Claus' shoulder to stop himself. It had been the first time he'd seen Ness in hours. He convulsed a bit at the sight of Ness' broken, bruised body. Claus dismissed the staff with a nod, and the minute they were gone, Lucas dropped to Ness' side.

"Oh, good lord, Ness...!" Lucas breathed, careful not to hurt him more, " _Mon amour_ , it's me. It's Lucas."

As he helped Ness shakily get into a sitting position, Ness' eyes weakly opened as he locked eyes with him.

"...Lucas..." Ness whispered, "Thank the lord..."

"How dare they put a hair on your head out of place...Ness, what did they do to you?" Lucas stroked the back of his neck and took his hand.

"J-just got a few parts broken, is all. Ain't nuffin' serious..." Ness rasped, "You haven't got a clue how happy I am to see you."

"And I, you! I didn't sleep a wink last night, I spent every hour worrying that you were dead, or dying, or...!"

"Hush, I'm alive," Ness assured, touching his forehead to Lucas', "But I fear I won't be for long."

"I won't let it happen! Ness, you listen to me. You will not die," Lucas insisted, "I-I'll break you out of here, you can run away! You can run away, far, far beyond our borders, where they'll never find you! Magicant is just north of here, you can just..."

"Magicant? Lucas, that's absurd, it's a three day trip by foot!" Claus protested, "And with the state he's in, he can barely walk!"

"I-I'll hire a merchant, whatever it takes! I'll carry him!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Lucas." Ness settled his hand over top Lucas' arm. Lucas glanced down at him, struggling to breathe. Ness' eyes gleamed solemnly. "It's a lost cause."

" _No..._ " Lucas shook his head.

"Now is not the time to be stubborn! If there was anything we could do, you know we'd do it!" Claus said. Lucas, unable to find an answer, burrowed his face into Ness' shoulder. Ness and Claus shared a grim look.

"Claus, why was I called here?" Ness asked.

"I'm afraid...I've been given an order. The same order I was given when Ninten was imprisoned here. Thirty nine lashes, at the least." Claus explained hesitantly. Ness' eyes went dark, and he gave one nod of his head.

"I see," He murmured, "Well, then. Might as well get it over with."

"What?! No!" Lucas gasped, "Claus, just say you did it, and be done with it."

"And when I show up without a single gash upon my back? What then?" Ness challenged, facing Claus again, "Thirty nine?"

"Thirty nine." Claus approached one of the brick walls and tentatively set his fingers over a weapon all too familiar; a thin, leather strap, which was stained red from it's previous uses. He'd grown used to inflicting such horrid wounds on prisoners, but now, upon taking it into his hand, he felt damned.

"C-Claus,  _please._ " Lucas whispered, holding Ness closer.

"I've made it through worse." Ness insisted, wriggling away from his grasp, "Better to just get it over with."

"Ness!" Lucas breathed in disbelief that Ness would agree to such a thing. He put a hand over his mouth and backed away, knowing that he was powerless.

"It'd be best if you left." Claus said to Lucas, as he tightened his hand around the grip.

Lucas stared back at him, eyes wide, before looking towards Ness. Gripping his jacket, Lucas nodded curtly and backed up against the door, before hesitantly slipping through it and closing it behind him. Claus turned his attention to Ness, eyes sincere.

"Now," Claus began, his voice quivering, "B-breath in through your nose. Flex any muscle you can. Grit your teeth as much as you can."

"Alright." Ness said, hanging his head. Claus slowly walked behind him.

"I can try to go easy," Claus assured, "But I'll need to draw blood."

"Okay."

"...I'm sorry, Ness," Claus murmured, "Understand that I admire you. You're a good man."

"As are you," Said Ness, "Take care of Lucas."

"You have my word." Claus bowed his head. He slowly raised his weapon, focusing on Ness and exacting his aim. Ness' entire body shook. He was either shivering from fear, or he was crying. Claus couldn't tell.

"Y-your Highness, one more thing..." Ness choked.

"Spare me the formalities," Claus said, "...Call me Niclaus."

"Niclaus...alright." Ness nodded, "Please, for my sake, if not, for Lucas'. Everyone here believes me to be the one at fault. If they find out Lucas was a willing participant, I don't even want to think about what they'd do to him, or even the rest of your family. No matter what, make sure no one finds out. The kingdom needs your brother."

"I promise, not a word will be uttered." Claus said. Ness let his head hang again.

"Then I can die with my mind at ease." He murmured.

The acceptance in Ness' voice sent a chill through Claus. He wavered, still holding his weapon high above himself. He knew that this was a guilt he'd never be able to rid himself of. He wasn't much of a believer in god, but he was certainly praying to him now. His arm twitched several times as he tried to bring himself to do it. He'd never seen Ness look so defeated before.

Hand shaking, he reared back once again. Forcing himself to act upon his adrenaline, Claus grit his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut, and lashed downwards.

Leaning with his ear pressed up against the door, Lucas heard a loud crack split the air, followed by Ness' clear shriek of pain. He flinched, staring blankly ahead as he struggled to keep his breathing quiet.

" _One..._ " Lucas murmured under his breath. Another lash, and another cry, this time more stifled. " _...Two..._ "

Ness grew quieter as two turned to five, and five turned to ten. He was either growing used to the pain, or he was too weak to respond to it. Lucas was practically numb at this point. He no longer felt despair or grief. He simply felt nothing, as he quietly counted down. His eyes, though wet, did not spill tears, as it seemed he'd run out of tears to shed. All he could do was pray that someone up in the heavens still cared. After all, he'd wished for it using one of the streetlamps. That always worked, and surely, it would work this time.

From the other side of the door, Lucas heard another crack, this one followed by eerie silence.

" _Thirty nine._ " Lucas whispered.

* * *

Lucas sat alone on the bed within the walls of Ness' old room. The sky outside had grown orange. He stared down at the dusty, wooden floor between where his feet were planted. It was so silent, he could almost hear his own pulse. His eyes had stopped processing sight hours ago. Below him, he saw only fuzz. He had not moved a muscle ever since he'd come here to be alone. His neck and back ached from straining over, but he couldn't find the motivation to pull himself back up. From outside the hallway, he could hear hushed whispers and rumors about the recent events, but it had long since turned into muffled droning.

Somewhere deep down inside, he prayed that everything had all been a dream. That any minute now, he would wake up in a cold sweat, bathed in the sun's rays from the nearby window. He would turn to his side, relieved to see Ness sleeping peacefully beside him, not a scratch to be seen. He'd take a moment to compose himself, before realizing it was all fake. He would sigh in relief, reaching over to brush a hand through Ness' slightly messy hair. He'd lay back down and wrap his arms around him, taking in every bit of warmth, and breathing in his scent. He would drift into sleep once again, relieved that he had nothing to fear.

But of course, Lucas never woke up from anything. He'd pinched himself multiple times throughout the day, at one point even drawing blood. But alas, he was wide awake. This was a nightmare that crossed into the line of reality. All of this, every second, was real. And Lucas wasn't sure how he could deal with it. So, for now, he simply stared at the floor with an empty mind, and an empty heart.

That was, until he heard a few knocks at the door. He knew it was Claus before he even heard any voice.

"Go ahead." Lucas muttered, barely loud enough for Claus to hear from the other side.

The door slipped open with a creak. Claus took one look at his twin and felt his own heart collapse. Lucas not only looked defeated, he looked destroyed. His eyes were red and puffy from how much he'd been crying. He slouched in a clearly uncomfortable way. His face seemed strained and rugged. Lucas looked awful.

"Lucas, there you are," Claus said, "I figured I'd find you here."

"I've been here for hours. Can't find any reason to get up." Lucas replied. Claus could barely hear him. Lucas noticed Claus holding a box shape. "What's that for?"

"Oh, this?" Claus looked down at the shape; a book. "It's one of the textbooks Ness' father left him. A very fascinating read, it documents historical events in Dragonstep and those around us. It includes details that I've never seen in any other book. I thought...perhaps I'd return it here."

"Mm. I see." Lucas said, "How is he?"

"Breathing," Claus explained, "I offered medical help, but he refused it. He's just...waiting."

Lucas didn't say anything. He simply sighed quietly and glanced back down at the floor. Claus had never seen such drained movement. Even something as simple as turning his head looked slow and weak. Feeling a pang of despair in his heart, Claus bit his lip and walked over to his brother, sitting down beside him and wasting no time taking him into his arms. Lucas made no effort to lean into him.

"Come, now," Claus murmured, resting his chin on Lucas' head, "We mustn't fret."

"He's just so... _stubborn!_ " Lucas raised his voice ever so slightly, suddenly feeling the motivation to speak his mind, "If he would just let me help him, then maybe he could live! Magicant is right near us..."

"He would die before he even reached Magicant, Lucas." Claus reminded, "The chances of this turning out in any other way is practically a million to _one._ "

"There's still a chance, then." Lucas curtly replied.

Claus opened his mouth to reply, but tentatively closed it. He let his hold on Lucas loosen, and he placed his hands in his lap. Somehow, the small conversation they had managed to give Lucas the slightest hint of energy. Enough to stand up and take a few steps forward. He began to slowly pace the room. Step after step, he observed everything. He approached a beam in the wall, where several notches rested within the wood's surface. Though Claus couldn't see his face, he saw Lucas give a small, weak laugh.

"Look at what he's done..." Lucas murmured, running his gloved hand down the beam, "...He measures his own height. You can see where he marked it in the wood."

Lucas drifted away from the spot and walked to the other side of the room. Claus watched silently as Lucas set his hand next to something on the wall.

"A-and over here..." Lucas said, with another quiet snicker, "He nailed his matchbox to the wall, you see? He kept forgetting to grab it on his way out, so he nailed it here."

He rounded the bed and approached the other side, where Ness had put the wooden box.

"He put this here so that if he felt homesick, or missed his family, he'd simply be able to lean over his bedside and look back at all of the memories."

"What an interesting collection," Claus murmured, "I've looked through it several times. There are things in there such a poor boy would never own. I wonder why he never sold any of it."

"It belonged to his father, remember? I wouldn't have sold it either. Especially some of the other things that were in here," Lucas reminded, "Have you seen the tailcoat? The one he wore on the night Nana and I became engaged?"

"Ah, yes, I remember. That was beautifully crafted, he must've worked hard on it."

"Oh, he didn't make it," Lucas explained as he neared the cloth box in the back corner. He unlatched it to reveal typical articles, a vest here and there, several dress shirts. Lucas' blood froze when he saw the patterned vest Ness had worn when they had first met. He forced himself to look away, before finally spotting the bright red coat he was looking for. He gingerly took it into his hands and brought it back towards Claus, "This wasn't crafted from his hands. His father bought it off a travelling merchant."

Upon gently unfolding it and inspecting the article closer, Claus' eyes sparkled just a bit. It looked even more masterfully created up close.

" _Spectaculaire_. It looks like something you or I would wear." He noticed.

"It does, doesn't it?" Lucas nodded, getting back up again to look around some more.

Meanwhile, Claus observed the jacket. He traced his fingers over each button, every seam, and every inch of golden braid. He couldn't help but feel a bit envious. He thought back to how right it looked upon Ness, who pulled it off incredibly well. Wherever this coat had come from, it was obviously from either another royal family who simply discarded it, or a very high class peerage.

' _Where on Earth did his father find the money for this? It must've cost a fortune._ ' Claus thought, brow furrowed in thought, ' _That merchant must've been crazy to sell it at a low enough price for a_ commoner _of all people to buy._ '

Claus took a moment. A gear turned inside his head.

"...Unless..." He murmured aloud, catching the attention of Lucas, who turned around.

"Pardon?" Lucas asked.

"I'm just...trying to figure out the logic. Why would it...?" Claus trailed off as he entered his own little world. Lucas, who was used to being ignored when Claus was in deep thought about something, watching with curiosity as Claus examined the article he'd been given. He then leaned over to grab the wooden box, and began to rummage through it. Lucas originally would've been against this, but he remembered that Ness had previously given Claus access. So, he continued to watch, growing more interested than concerned.

Claus' habits seemed completely nonsensical. He would inspect something, even squinting to try and look for microscopic details. He flipped through the pages of every book, stopping to look whenever he saw a picture. He then went still, looking up at the ceiling, as he retreated into his mind. Upon looking into his eyes, Lucas could see the puzzle pieces clicking together inside Claus' head. What the puzzle was, however, he didn't know. He didn't know whether to feel curious, put off, or scared. Seconds turned to minutes, which ticked by slowly. Lucas began to grow tired. He sat on the far side of the bed as Claus continued to gaze off into space, glassy eyed, for seemingly eternity. To be quite honest, Lucas thought, it was beginning to creep him out a little.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by Claus snapping to look down at his hands with a quiet, but sharp gasp.

" _What?_  What on Earth was all that about?" Lucas whispered, feeling prompted to keep his voice low.

Claus said nothing at first, raising a hand to cover his mouth. Lucas could hear him take in shaky, nervous breaths. The curiosity was growing irritable. Lucas put a hand on his brother's shoulder, which seemed to jolt Claus into reality. Claus, still breathing heavily, slowly turned his head to face Lucas. His mouth moved, as if he were trying to say something, but nothing was coming out. Claus took a moment to compose himself, swallowing to ease his nerves. Staring back at Lucas with wide eyes, he uttered something quiet and slurred, but intelligible.

" _...It was Ness._ "

Lucas furrowed his brow, confused.

"What?"

Claus grabbed his arm.

" _Ness...!_ " He whispered, " _Ness is..._ "

Another pause.

" _Ness is the lost prince of Eagleland._ "


	9. Vive La Roi

" _What?!_ "

Lucas backed away, staring back at Claus with wide, bewildered eyes.

"Claus, what  _unholy creation_  possessed you into thinking something like  _that?_ " Lucas cried, "It's impossible! Ness was born here, in Dragonstep!"

"No he wasn't, remember? Lucas, please, hear me out!" Claus motioned for him to sit down again, "Ness wasn't born precisely in Dragonstep, he was born on a boat near it! Remember the circumstances of the shipwreck? How old is Ness, twenty? That shipwreck happened twenty years ago!"

"Mere coincidences."

"But that's not it!" Claus insisted. He took hold of the tailcoat beside him and placed it in his lap, "Look here. Just under the chest pocket, look at the crewel stitched in. That is most definitely a royal crest. This is a royal garment."

Lucas leaned in to inspect what Claus was talking about. As expected, he saw a patch sewn into the fabric, which was previously hidden by a pocket cover. It looked similar to the crest upon Lucas' own clothing.

"Yes, alright, what of it?"

"Look closer! What symbol does that look like, to you?"

"...It's a bird, so what?"

"Not just any bird, Lucas. That's an eagle," Claus said, "This crest, this coat...it all came from Eagleland!"

"That doesn't mean anything! Ness told me that his father bought it from a traveler."

"There is no way a merchant would sell something like this at a low enough price for a commoner to buy. I think that his father simply told him that, so that he didn't ask any questions," Claus explained, "Just like how he told him Ness was simply born on a boat, because that was the last place his father remembered being. A boat."

"...You're loosing me."

"Just...! Listen," Claus began, "Twenty years ago, the ship carrying Eagleland's royal family sunk. Among the survivors were the prince, a few staff members, and the royal adviser. The next morning, while the survivors were waiting for help, clinging to the wreckage for dear life, both the adviser and the prince were gone. Here's what I think. The adviser took the newborn. The shipwreck was said to have happened within viewing distance of Dragonstep, so he probably swam over here out of desperation."

"Why would he do that, and not tell anyone of what had happened? Dragonstep would have contacted Eagleland."

"Normally, that would be the case," Claus said, "If the adviser had remembered anything about himself. Witnesses said he was struck upon the head, yes? You see what I'm hinting at?"

Lucas blinked, completely dumbfounded, "...Amnesia?"

"Yes, precisely! If you woke up in the middle of a shipwreck with a  _baby_ , without any clue on who you are, your first priority would probably be survival! So, the now clueless adviser swims to Dragonstep. Deciding to start a new life, he takes on a new identity and raises the newborn prince as his own son. Because the last place he remembers being was a boat, he told Ness that he was born on it, and faked a story about his birth mother dying."

"...So you're saying that Ness' father was the royal adviser of Eagleland?"

"Yes!" Claus gestured down to the wooden box, "And the stuff in this box are simply things he found from the shipwreck, including this tailcoat."

"But that wouldn't make any sense! If Ness was an infant during the wreck, why would a garment fit for an adult be there?"

"You aren't that dim, are you? It's a sacred tradition for the clothing of a royal heir's life..." Claus trailed off.

"...To be made by either the queen or the ladies in waiting, shortly after their birth." Lucas finished, voice becoming breathy as he realized this. He paused for a moment, contemplating, before he shook his head again, "But some of the events in the books from the box happened after the shipwreck."

"Oh, that's irrelevant, his father could've simply picked those up afterwards." Claus dismissed, "Lucas, you have to believe me. The evidence all adds up!"

"...Claus, I'm sorry, but I can't! It's just too far fetched." Lucas urged.

"You need more evidence? That's okay, that's fine! I have more. See, as I was scanning this book in particular just moments ago," Claus picked up one of the books beside him and opened to a page he'd bookmarked with a crease, "Look here, at this picture."

Printed within the pages was a delicately painted image, possibly a mimicking. It displayed a family portrait similar to the one Lucas himself was in. Claus pointed to the image.

"Look at their skin." He said, "It's the same as Ness'. That darker shade. Be honest, have you ever seen anybody else in Dragonstep with that shade of skin?"

Lucas hesitated for a moment, shrugging his shoulders, "...I suppose...I'll admit that. Ness is the only one I've seen with that colour."

"Because he's not native to Dragonstep! He came from a  _different kingdom._ "

"Claus, I'll admit, this is a few too many coincidences. But the idea is still just too much of a risk to claim!" Lucas said.

Claus scoffed, and went back to searching. Lucas, meanwhile, debated in his head. He had one, single word that debunked everything Claus was claiming: Ninten. The tale never spoke of the missing prince possibly having a brother. Of course, Lucas didn't want to say anything outright. He kept his mouth shut, silently waiting for Claus to finish whatever he was doing. The ginger was growing visibly agitated as he tried to find any more connections. Lucas' eyes trailed to the page that Claus was scanning over and over. He spotted something odd, suddenly. An odd crease at the corner of the paper, that seemed to split.

"Claus," Lucas notified, "Lookie. Right there."

He pointed out the split within the paper. Claus examined it as well, his eyes widening a bit. He tentatively pulled at it, and the two sides of the crease began to pull apart. The twins looked at each other, sharing a knowing look. Claus pulled the two apart again slowly, so he didn't rip the page. The single page soon split into two separate ones, which each fell into place once separated completely. Exposed to the brothers was two new pages stocked full of information. Claus hesitantly looked at his brother, who nodded. He then turned back to the book and began to scan the pages.

"Any 'hidden information' you want to show me?" Lucas mumbled, rolling his eyes at Claus' wonder. Claus' face suddenly lit up, and he snapped to look up at him.

"Yes!" Claus cried, "Twins!"

Lucas' heart stopped. "...P-pardon?"

"They were twins, like us! There wasn't just one prince, Ness had a  _brother!_ How fascinating!" Claus exclaimed, pointing to the top paragraph of the first page. Lucas, rushed to quickly read through it. To his shock, Claus was exactly right. The first sentence itself clarified the suspicions. It described the birth of a pair of royal twins.

"I-impossible!"

"Far from it! The date this book was written suggests it was written years before ours were, so this must've been lost in history!" Claus breathed, "These are things I didn't even know! This information outdates everything I've learned! It-"

Claus suddenly stopped, having become transfixed on something on the page. Lucas leaned towards him, concerned. Claus' eyes seemed dazed, as he stared down at the pages. Lucas waved his hand a bit to try and captured his attention.

"...Claus?" He chirped, "...Claus, hello?"

"...Lucas..." Claus whispered, slowly turning the book towards him and pointing at the bottom corner of the second page, where a faded picture was printed, "...Look familiar?"

Lucas shifted over to get a better look. His eyes focused on the small painting, which he couldn't quite make out at first. However, as his eyes adjusted, he suddenly saw the image clearly. Every muscle in his body tensed up. His blood seemed to stop running through his veins. For all he cared, time could've gone still. He was looking down at a portrait. A young adult, possibly around his age. Lucas drew in a trembling breath.

"...That's..." He murmured, " _...Ness?_ "

The young man had the same tan skin. The same purple eyes, the same messy black hair. The same thin face. The same everything. Lucas was staring back at a point for point, mirror image of Ness.

"No." Claus shook his head, "That's the King of Eagleland at age twenty."

They looked at each other again. Claus bit his lip.

"Lucas, that's Ness'  _father._  His  _actual_  father, when he was Ness' age."

Several seconds went by, but they felt like hours. All of the information Lucas had been told in the past five minutes had become a blur in his mind. The circumstances of the birth, the connection to Ninten, and most of all, the portrait of the deceased king. It all came together, Lucas thought. Claus watched in anticipation as Lucas continued to contemplate, before they once again locked eyes.

"Good lord..." Lucas breathed, "Claus, you're...you're absolutely right. Ness is the forgotten prince."

' _And Ninten was to be his prince in waiting._ ' Lucas thought. Even Ninten's story of being found washed up near the docks added up.

"Yes, and he is the true heir to the throne of Eagleland!" Claus stood up, "We haven't got a moment to lose."

"What?" Lucas stood up to follow him towards the door.

"Go to him! The night is still young, you still have time! Take the book with you," Claus handed the book to him, before reaching into his pocket and handing him something else; a key. "Take the key to the castle prison, too. I've kept it with me so that none of the guards get any ideas. Quickly, now!"

Claus rushed Lucas out of the room and into the hallway, grabbing a discarded hood on the way out and throwing it in his brother's direction. Lucas just barely managed to keep all three items in his grasp as he stumbled.

"C-Claus, explain yourself!" He stammered, throwing the coat over himself by muscle memory.

"Tell Ness, tell him everything! Then, we'll tell everyone else! We can still save him!" Claus exclaimed, "Now go! Hurry!"

Lucas hastily nodded, staggering a few steps back before regaining his balance and taking off in the other direction. He ran faster than he'd ever run before, as walls sped by in a blur. He nearly tripped around every corner, taking the pathway he knew so well.

Every thought in his head was a mess of jumbled words. As he ran, he struggled to keep his footsteps light. He even kicked off his boots along the way to silence his movement. Anticipation pulsed through his veins as he rapidly approached the locked, wooden door. He nearly dropped the key several times as he struggled to get a steady grip on it. He finally managed to hold it tightly and wasted no time yanking the door open and slamming it shut behind him, making sure to lock it as well. He found himself faced with the familiar spiral staircase descending down. Again, he nearly fell as he jumped several steps at a time, using only the brick walls as traction. He half jumped, half stumbled to the bottom of the stairs and began the cycle of checking every cell. As usual, all of them were empty.

However, it took him less time to find Ness than it took him to find Ninten.

Lucas had nearly missed it; the dark shape of a person in the corner of a closed off cell, leaning against the wall, motionless. Lucas skidded to a halt, his heart pounding and his lungs screaming for air. He quickly ran to the cell and threw himself against the bars, instantly startling Ness, who scrambled to turn around and back up against the wall in fear.

" _Ness!_ " Lucas cried breathlessly.

"Bloody hell, Lucas, what in god's name are you doing here?!" Ness exclaimed, composing himself and trying to hoist himself up. However, he found that trying to stand up sent a sharp wave of pain through his body, and he instantly collapsed again. So, he instead pulled himself across the floor with his hands. Lucas got to his knees to meet him at the bars. He stuck a hand through and cupped Ness' face.

"There's something you must know! I'm going to open the door, hold on. This isn't something I can simply tell you through bars." Lucas quickly got to his feet and promptly unlocked the cell door, rushing into the cage and dropping to Ness' side.

The two instantly embraced each other, neither squeezing too hard to avoid hurting Ness. Lucas' body relaxed. He'd never been so relieved to be able to feel Ness' touch. It was Ness who pulled away first, grabbing Lucas' arms.

"You shouldn't be here. If anyone finds you..."

"They won't, I locked the door." Lucas assured, grabbing onto his arms as well, "Ness, darling, you must listen, and listen to me close. I'm about to tell you something that you probably won't believe at first, alright? But I assure you, it is all too real."

"I-I...? Okay, get on with it, if it's that important! You're completely out of breath." Ness pointed out. "What is it?"

Lucas only nodded, before taking in a long inhale and swallowing nervously. His blue eyes locked with Ness' purple ones, and his grip on his weak arms tightened.

"Ness," Lucas whispered, " _You_ are the lost prince of Eagleland."

Ness went silent. He blinked. His shocked eyes were saying a million words, but after several seconds of silence, he only managed to blurt out one.

" _...What?_ " He asked.

Lucas instantly launched into everything that Claus had told him. He started from the beginning, quoting Claus almost word for word. He rambled on about the shipwreck, and the adviser suffering from amnesia. He told him about his trek to Dragonstep to start a new life. He explained every detail he could, using the book as his guide. All the while, Lucas was amazed that Ness had been in possession of the book describing his own disappearance for so many years. And Ness had never known, of course, because he couldn't read before. But now that he could, he found himself being introduced to an entire wealth of information, all on a few short pages. Minutes went by as Lucas' voice grew strained, but he didn't care. Ness simply stared back at him, mouth slightly open in shock. Lucas couldn't tell exactly what emotion Ness' face was displaying. As if to comfort him through all of this sudden realization, he settled his hand upon his cheek.

"A-and the survivors claimed they saw the adviser himself suffer a blow to the head. While the prince..." Lucas moved his thumb to expose the scar on Ness' face, "...The prince was struck upside the jaw."

As Lucas traced a finger down Ness' scar, finally putting it all into place, he slowly fell silent, and turned the book towards him. He flipped the page, and exposed the two that had previously been stuck together. Ness watched in amazement as Lucas pointed to the detailed portrait in the corner.

"And...this is your father." Lucas explained, as Ness took the book into his hands and examined it closer. "...Spitting image."

Ness stared down at the picture, nearly a copy of his own face, with astonishment. While the sudden intake of information had been jarring, Ness had caught every single word. Come to think of it, he thought, he didn't look like the father who raised him, nor did he look like his little sister. Lucas, knowing that Ness couldn't think of any words to say, gently reached over and turned the page back to reveal the family portrait. He pointed to the obvious Queen, who held a bundle in her arms. Lucas could just barely make out a patch of jet black hair.

"...Is that you?" Lucas asked.

Ness, finally finding the ability to speak, drifted out of his daze. His eyes were wide, as if he'd seen the dead rise. He took in a shaky breath.

"...I-I don't know, I can't see it well enough," He said. Lucas sighed, but then noticed Ness trace his finger to someone else in the photo; a man who stood just behind the royal figures, hands respectfully placed behind his back. Ness hesitated, before speaking again, "...B-but that right there is my father. That's his exact face."

Lucas leaned in closer to inspect. The man Ness was pointing to was the royal adviser, as labeled below.

Claus had been correct.

"...Good lord..." Ness stammered, "Lucas, you mean to say...?"

"You don't even have to marry me to become a prince, Ness." Lucas whispered, giving a weak smile, "...You already _are_  one. You are the rightful heir of Eagleland's monarchy, and the true king of that country. Don't you know what this means?"

Lucas took Ness' hand and pulled slightly.

"If we tell them who you are, if we show everyone the evidence, then you could be saved! You can go back to Eagleland! You may not adjust to ruling so easily, but surely there will be monarchs to guide you. And I'll write to you every chance I get! A-and just think, next time there's an event of sorts, we will see each other once again! Sure, there will be miles between us, but that won't change anything! Nothing will..." Lucas trailed off as he watched Ness' expression change. Ness' face, which was previously stunned, was now solemn and grim. Lucas' smile faded as he stammered to try and keep up the high spirits. However, he knew exactly what Ness was thinking. Lucas could barely hide the frustration and despair in his voice. "Oh no. Ness, don't do this to me.  _Please._ "

"I'm  _sorry_ , Lucas." Ness replied, "But if all of this really is true, then I don't want anyone finding out."

Lucas grit his teeth, now genuinely mad, "For heaven's sake, Ness, at least give me this! Why are you so insistent on avoiding anything that could save you?! It's as if you wish death upon yourself! Tell me, is that what you want? Hm?"

"No, of course not! Lucas, I don't want to die!" Ness urged, "But if they found out that you, the prince, were involved with such a forbidden love scandal, would they treat you any different than me?"

Lucas paused, "...No."

"So would it be any different if they knew I was a prince myself?" Ness concluded, continuing on, "Nothing will change. In fact, this could make things worse! Imagine what they could do to that kingdom!  _My_ kingdom, Lucas! Imagine the conflict that could rise! I'm sorry. It's  _over_ , alright?"

"It is not! I won't accept it!" Lucas hissed.

"Please! Remember what you said, about how Dragonstep is practically your pride and joy? How you would protect this kingdom with your life? I've been  _missing_  for twenty years, I left _my_ subjects behind! I wasn't there for them! Please, Lucas," Ness grabbed his shoulders and leaned in close, "You of all people should understand. Please, let me protect my country. Just this once."

Lucas realized that there was absolutely nothing he could say or do to change Ness' mind. Even through being broken and bloodied, Ness still remained one of the most stubborn, contrary human beings on the planet. While it could get irritating sometimes, Lucas had never been more frustrated than he was now. One look into Ness' dull eyes finally set him off. Lucas sniffled a bit, the tears having returned once again. He wiped his eyes.

"...You already sound like a prince. Two minutes after finding out you are one." Lucas choked, with a bit of a weak laugh, "You would've been a wonderful leader, you know."

Ness, knowing that Lucas was about to start crying again, held out his arms, allowing Lucas to fall into him. The two backed up against a wall, Lucas settled on top of him as if he were a bed. Ness sighed as he ran a hand up and down his back.

"Perhaps. If I'd stayed in Eagleland, I could've turned out entirely different." He murmured. Lucas was surprised at how lightly Ness was taking such a life changing topic. He talked about it casually. Ness must've been incredibly dazed, he realized. Dazed by all the pain inflicted on him. Dazed by his fate.

"That's right. I would have never met you." Lucas replied, "What a miserable life that would've b-been."

"Then perhaps I should be thankful for the shipwreck. For my fath- I mean...the adviser." Ness said, "But then again, I'd meet you eventually. The event would eventually come where you would propose to Nana, and I would've surely been invited."

"And would I have still fallen in love with you?" Lucas asked, "...Most definitely."

"It would be a much more...appealing meeting, rather than a match tumbling over your head."

"What are you saying? I wouldn't have changed anything about the way you and I met," Lucas murmured, burying his face even closer into the crook between Ness' shoulder and neck.

"...You know what? Neither would I. You're right." Ness agreed.

There was a long, long period of silence. Lucas was floored at how calm Ness was being, despite being put on death row and discovering that he was the heir to a kingdom an ocean away. Ness himself was also surprised. He had to admit that his discovery didn't affect him nearly as much as it probably should have. Perhaps it had something to do with knowing that by this time tomorrow, he wouldn't be around. Though, rather than sadness, Ness felt guilt more than anything else. He'd made a promise that he would stay by Lucas' side, forever and always. But he had to break that promise very soon. And he felt awful. While he knew that Lucas could obviously make it without him, Ness couldn't bear the thought of leaving Lucas behind.

Lucas suddenly began to tremble. Ness took a moment, confused, before realizing that Lucas was once again crying. Ness couldn't imagine how many tears his beloved had shed in the past day. Lucas certainly was not a weak boy, but he was sensitive.

"Oh, you old sap, no more tears..." Ness whispered, stroking Lucas' hair, "...Come, now. Pull yourself together."

"I-I...I've never been so _frightened_  before..." Lucas stammered, "...What do we do now, Ness?"

Ness sadly paused.

"...My dear, I...I don't think there's anything  _to_  do." Ness said, "...I suppose...we wait for the sun to rise."

Any words that Lucas had planned to say disappeared from his head. The realization, which had been slowly settling in all day, finally landed softly within him. So there he stayed, curled up against Ness with nothing but a nearby torch for light. The air around them was dusty and cold. That's how Lucas felt on the inside; dusty and cold. There was an odd sense of calmness as the minutes passed. Maybe it was how tired he was, or perhaps it was the slight familiarity of Ness' scent he could make out through the scent of blood. For the first time in hours, Lucas' heartbeat ran at a smooth, normal pace. A terrifying thought came to him came to him suggesting that he'd already accepted fate. Lucas forced himself not to. While Ness had accepted that the inevitable was going to happen, he certainly did not accept the inevitable itself.

The pair had lost track of time. Hours passed, just laying together against a cold, damp wall. Neither one of them slept, although both of them were painfully tired. Their need to sleep and their adrenaline were at war with each other. Lucas' arm had fallen asleep ages ago, but he didn't dare move. He noticed that Ness' forehead had begun to bleed from a previous wound. The blood trailed down the side of his face, and Lucas heard the soft  _plink_  of it dripping onto the bronze epaulet on his shoulder. The bright red contrasted against the gold. Lucas closed his eyes softly and slowly.

' _Oh, crimson cruel that stains me now,_ ' Lucas thought, ' _Rid yourself of the burnished bronze upon my shoulder. I have seen your ugliness before, painting the palm of my hand. Spare me your malice. Fuel the fire we have set. Until my epilogue comes, continue to run through his veins smoothly. Treat my heart kindly. Give my beloved a gentle coda, as you will give me someday, after he is gone.'_

* * *

Lucas' skin stung from the cold, brisk morning air. The sun peeked just above the horizon. The bells had rung, and their melody still echoed in his mind. A large, but silent crowd surrounded the small family of royals. Lucas stood by Claus' side. Claus stood at attention. Both boys refused to look at their father, who was just a few paces away. Flint showed no regret for his decision. This was the first time Lucas was allowed to venture into the village area, though he was surrounded by several guards to protect him. The moment to be able to be out in the open as himself should have been blissful. But every pair of eyes directed towards him burned his skin like fire. Many of these people had never even gotten a single glance at their respectable prince before. Being able to see Lucas was a rarity that many of them would never see again.

The attention of everyone was suddenly stolen from a small scuffle that broke out. Lucas was too late to spot it, but he saw the aftermath. Ness had been brought to the scene, and the moment his arms were released, his legs gave out and he fell to the ground. Lucas felt Claus grab his arm, seemingly to keep him from running into action, but Lucas had no intent to. He simply forced himself to watch Ness be forced back to his feet and dragged to the top of the gallows that hadn't been used in years. While the wooden beam meant to hold a noose stood there, this was not the death planned for him. Behind where Ness was thrown, six gunmen stood.

It would be quick and painless.

Ness was pushed down to his knees. His matted, tangled hair fell over his face. When Lucas got a glance at his expression, he knew then and there that Ness would never accept this. His eyes, which were previously dull and glazed over, were now stocked full with the fiery spirit he used to have. His teeth were bared and his glare was sharp. Lucas wondered for a moment if perhaps, this was all part of the act Ness was giving. But it was clear that the fire had once again ignited from within him. Ness had forgotten every bit of what Lucas had been taught him. He had reverted right back to his old self.

Lucas knew that his was his cue. But in that moment, his mouth ran dry. Ness glared at him through narrowed eyes, although his expression still had that warm sense of love, as always. Lucas made no effort to begin. Perhaps it was rebellion; he didn't know. Claus looked at him from the side, wondering if perhaps, Lucas had forgotten to start. But Lucas' expression was set. It wasn't until Flint cleared his throat from behind them. Lucas clenched his jaw, feeling nothing but hatred for his father, but managed to open his mouth.

"...I have spoken with he who watches over us," Lucas began, his voice projected and crystal clear, "...He has decided that the vermin presented before me must be dealt with."

A chorus of agreement rippled through the crowd. Ness hung his head, unable to face the staring.

"This boy pathetically displayed before you has done our kingdom wrong. He has been found guilty of impersonation of a peerage heir. Taking part in a duel under said false identity, thus leading to the murder of a citizen. And most repulsively..." Lucas explained. He tried with every ounce of physical strength he had to keep the spit out of his voice, "...Assault and exploitation of a royal figure."

Another chorus; this time with several words thrown at Ness. Lucas could pick out one in particular; _fairy_. He flinched. How he hated that word.

"Because of these crimes, it is by your king's order that he is disposed of, and sent to the place only people like him should go." Lucas finally found the courage to painstakingly face Ness. Their eyes locked. Voice quaking, he continued, "Does the accused have any objections or prayers to defend his name?"

"Nothing of the sort, Your 'ighness." Ness rasped, "All I've got is myself."

That seemed to send the surrounding crowd into a frenzy. Several shouts of protest and disdain were tossed everywhere. The energy from within Lucas was too much. He took a few steps forward, and raised a hand to silence the crowd, which instantly went quiet on command. He took another look at Ness, before turning to glance at Flint from over his shoulder.

"I have a request," Lucas said, forcing grit into his voice, "Give me a minute or two with him. I wish to give him a piece of my mind first."

Flint seemed surprised, but pleased by the request. Several shouts of encouragement came from those around them.

"...Is that so?" He murmured. He turned to the guards standing above them, "Leave the stand! Your prince wishes a moment alone."

Ness stared at Lucas with a look of panic and confusion as Lucas slowly approached the set of stairs leading upwards. Now seeing the wooden platform empty, he made his way up, standing over Ness like a predator to it's prey. Seconds of anticipation went by, some waiting for Lucas to act upon his decision. Even Claus wondered if possibly, Lucas would cause any harm to him. But all of that was answered when Lucas simply knelt before him. Claus sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, Lucas leaned in close, and Ness was quick to lower his voice to a whisper.

"What are you doing?  _Get back down there!_ " He hissed.

"I have to see you again, I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't. Fear not, just whisper, and they won't hear us." Lucas insisted.

A short moment a nothing being said. Lucas felt himself choke up again.

" _Don't do this, Ness._ " He breathed.

"I will. I'm sorry."

"I don't want to live in a world where you're not there!"

"You _must._  You can't leave behind your brother. Your father. Your spouse. You can't leave behind your  _kingdom_. You can lead it into prosperity and happiness."

"It's a kingdom where those like you and I are  _scorned._ "

"Which is why you must  _stay alive!_  Think of the bills you could pass, and the laws you could make once you're king!" Ness pleaded, "Please, you need to understand how important you are to the future. With you in charge, men, and even women like us can see brighter days. They could see a day in which they could walk the streets and not be spat at. I'm begging you, Lucas. Please, make the future a better place. Save love, no matter what form it may come in."

Lucas bit his lip and wiped his eyes, giving a weak nod, "...Okay. I-I'll try, I promise."

"You need not weep. Not for me. The day may even come when you find love again." Ness said, "And when you find that person, I trust you'll treat them, be it a man or a woman, the same way you treated me."

While the idea of being able to even feel love after this was preposterous to Lucas, he nodded anyways, "Of course."

"Promise me one last thing," Ness said, "Promise me that you will not crumble. You will not fall. Grieve for me, yes. But do not let my absence turn you against your family. I abandoned my kingdom, and everyone in it...promise that you will not do the same. Promise that you will be the leader I never got to be."

"I promise. Cross my heart." Lucas replied softly.

"Then that's all I need." Ness gave a weak smile, "...I'm sorry, Lucas. I'm sorry I brought this upon us. I'm sorry I won't be there anymore, and...I'm sorry I never got to marry you."

Lucas' breath hitched from a sudden threat of tears, "You are forgiven. You've always been forgiven."

Ness' eyes seemed to gleam over as well, but he showed no intent on letting himself cry. He slightly gazed up towards the sky.

"Do you think...there may be something for me to rule up there?" He asked voicelessly, "Perhaps there are subjects I can lead. There must be somewhere for me."

"I'm sure of it." Lucas assured. "You lost your chance to rule in life. Perhaps...your chance will come now."

"Maybe so." Ness gave a half smile. Lucas took a deep breath.

"...I love you, Ness." He murmured.

"I love you too," Ness replied, "...I will always be with you. Our flame will not go out. I won't let it."

"I pray you'll find happiness, wherever you go." Lucas said, "Our lord works strangely. He plans strange, mysterious things. Surely, he'll have planned something for you."

Ness didn't answer. He only smiled gratefully. Lucas, by impulse, slowly leaned forward with intent to kiss him, but Ness was quick to back away.

"Don't. We can't." He reminded. Lucas bit his lip.

"Right." He nodded, "...Now, close your eyes. It'll be like going to sleep."

Ness shook his head, "No. I'm not putting myself in darkness," He said, "I'm not giving death that satisfaction."

Lucas paused, before nodding tentatively. Ness continued.

"Now, listen here," Ness instructed, "In five seconds, you're going to stand up. And when you do, swat me across the face as hard as you possibly can to diminish suspicion."

Lucas' heart stopped. "W-what?!"

The warm, hopeful feeling previously felt suddenly disappeared as Ness spat at the ground near his feet. The adrenaline and confusion forced Lucas to stand, and following Ness' instructions, he delivered a violent slap across the face. Terrified from his own actions, Lucas covered his mouth with both hands as Ness recovered from the sharp attack. The crowd below launched into another chaotic mix of cheers and insults towards Ness. Lucas cast a horrified look down at him, his hand shaking. Ness bowed his head. His eyes said words that didn't need to be spoken. Lucas reluctantly nodded back, clenched his hand into a fist, and turned to once again make his way down the set of stairs.

Time was up. The heat among the crowd grew and grew. As Lucas approached, Claus reached out to him, but Lucas ignored both his hand and his gaze. Eyes narrowed and set, Lucas once again faced the defeated Ness as he saw the six guards once again take their place around him. The deafening noise around him seemed to enclose him in walls.

Lucas planted his feet firmly on the ground. While the clouds covered the sky in a gray haze, the sun could still be visible. Lucas once again raised his hand, and once again, all went quiet. He reluctantly opened his mouth to speak.

"...Does the accused have anything left to say?" Lucas asked. Ness narrowed his eyes. He almost seemed to be challenging Lucas, in a way. Breath was held among the people as they waited for Ness' words. Ness took a deep inhale, using his remaining strength to speak projected and strong.

"Long live  _us!_ " He shouted, "Long live men, and women, and children! Long live those who hide in the shadows! Long live those who have been scorned and shunned by their fellow man. Long live fire, long live ice. Long live our crest. Long live our flag. Long live the blood that spatters against the bronze metal of our age."

Ness turned his gaze towards Flint with the same rebellion.

'"Love live the kingdom," He spat, " _And long live it's king._ "

Lucas knew that Ness was not talking about Dragonstep.

As Ness fell silent once more, all attention was diverted back to Lucas. The faces of everyone around him looked shocked and confused by Ness' odd choice of words. But now, the sand within the imaginary hourglass had lost it's last grain. Lucas clenched his jaw. His entire body shook as he fought against tears. His eyes were focused directly on Ness'. He didn't dare look away. As Ness had promised, his head was held high, and his eyes were wide open, reflecting the shine of the sun's rays.

All of the events, starting from Lucas finding a matchbox discarded on the ground one night, all rewinded and began to play back inside of his mind. Every second they had shared together, every word of love they had spoken. Each memory struck his heart, blow after blow. Perhaps it was a miracle, but Lucas finally managed to lift up his head and utter a single word.

"...Positions."

Ness' expression remained unchanged as the gunmen around him shifted into position. Several clicks of several guns sent a shiver down his spine. Flint, meanwhile, sent an approving look towards his son, before catching sight of Claus' face. Claus looked just as broken as Lucas.

A wave of empathy and regret coursed through Flint for a quick moment, as he realized the pain he must've been putting his children through. He tentatively reached a hand towards Claus, with intent to comfort him, but Claus shrugged him away and averted his face entirely. Flint realized that it'd be years before he'd be forgiven by his sons.

Lucas felt a wave of prickling warmth rush over his body, spreading to the tips of his fingers. Lower lip trembling, he spoke again.

"Aim."

For a split second, Lucas spotted something else in Ness' emotion. He realized that Ness' lips had just barely curved into a subtle, genuine smile. This was not acceptance, Lucas thought. Ness wanted his death to be a revolution all on it's own. As Lucas slowly breathed in again, preparing himself to lay the final command, he took heed of Ness' words.

' _Long live us._ '

A moment of silence.

" _Fire at will._ "

The air was instantly split with the deafening crack of synchronized gunshots. In a split second, Lucas squeezed his eyes shut. Something wet spattered against Lucas' cheek. He knew what it was.

As the sound echoed away, through the darkness, Lucas heard a muffled thump against the ground.

The crowd instantly exploded into a riot, as the silence was replaced with sounds of painful celebration. All the strength that Lucas had built up crumbled away, as he finally broke into a fit of sobs. Still not daring to open his eyes, he stumbled backwards, knowing that Claus was there. Claus wrapped his arms around his brother, staring ahead at the scene blankly. Ness looked so still, just lying there. As Lucas buried his face in his neck, Claus found himself unable to look away.

Lucas never saw the body.

The last look he'd gotten of Ness was a look of rebellion; of hope. Ness didn't look afraid. He was clearly saddened for his fate to come so soon, but not once had he shown any sense of fear. Claus, now that he thought about it, was inspired. Fear was truly a natural, normal part of life. But Ness wasn't normal. Claus had come to respect Ness, more than he'd come to like him. Men like Ness, most definitely, were a endangered species, as he'd said before.

It was the royal downfall of the century that no one would ever know about. Eagleland's prince, who had mysteriously disappeared years ago, was put to death in the most powerful country the date. It could've been an event to start wars. But alas, it was an event that would never grace the history books. As much as the people of Dragonstep were concerned, Ness was simply the poor tailor's boy who lit the streetlamps; a man worthy of distasteful words.

The story of Ness Wyman, Prince of Eagleland and the boy involved in the most scandalous affair the kingdom had ever seen, would never be told. And his brother, Ninten Trinh, would never know of his royal title. The tragic tale of the missing prince and his forgotten brother had come to an end, and it would forever be lost in history.

* * *

Claus slowly pushed open the door to Lucas' room. The room was dark and chilly. He saw the silhouette of his brother straight ahead, outline by the dim light of the moon. Lucas stood completely still, his hands laid over top over each other on the windowsill. There was no sound as Claus steadily crossed the room, step after step. Lucas had definitely heard the sound of heels hitting the wooden floor, but he payed it no mind. Claus hesitantly opened his mouth to speak, but closed it upon realizing he had no idea what to say.

It felt like an hour before he finally reached Lucas' side. He avoided looking at his brother's stark, emotionless face. Lucas payed no attention to his arrival. Claus let his eyes drift over the scenery before him. The kingdom looked all the same to him, but he knew that Lucas looked through a different set of lenses. He wondered what feelings must've been going through his twin's mind.

Suddenly, Claus' attention shifted to the sky. Upon looking up, his eyes widened. The sky was speckled all over with bright, gleaming stars. Claus had never seen them shine so bright before. He continued to look, entranced by their light.

It was beautiful, he thought.

"Lucas," He said on impulse, "The sky is starry tonight, you see?"

He turned to his brother, hoping that perhaps, Lucas' spirits could be raised ever so slightly. But he was put off to find that Lucas had not moved, and hadn't bothered to look up. He simply stared straight ahead. Claus' brow furrowed sadly. Lucas's blank, glassy eyes didn't move.

"...So it is." Lucas murmured. Claus drew in his lower lip, and nodded his head. Setting his hand over top of Lucas' he went silent.

There, the two brothers stood, gazing at the pitch black streets of the village, where not a single streetlamp's glow could be seen glittering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done! Thank you for reading! Now, I know that many people aren't happy with the ending to this story. Might I remind you that I am the author, and this is the ending I chose. I wrote this to tell a story of revolution. If you don't like it, please be an adult about it. 
> 
> Writing this ending was hard to do, as I wanted to end it happily, just as all of you did. However, as a creator, I have to debate whether to go with what I personally want and what would be the stronger option. I'm sure I can trust that all of you are mature enough to handle an ending you didn't like. I'd like critiques to be actual critiques, not just "I didn't like this ending" and not giving a reason why. 
> 
> -Felix


End file.
